Deuteronomy 21:7

7 and they shall testify, 'Our hands did not shed this blood, neither did our eyes see it shed.

Deuteronomy 21:7 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:7

And they shall answer and say
The elders of the city, at the time of the washing of their hands:

our hands have not shed this blood;
have been no ways concerned in it, nor accessory to it: the Targum of Jonathan is,

``it is manifest before the Lord that he did not come into our hands, nor did we dismiss him, that has shed this blood;''

which is more fully explained in the Misnah ^F25; for had they been aware of him, or had any suspicion of him or his design, they would have detained him, or at least would not have suffered him to have departed alone:

neither have our eyes seen;
it, or him; so the Targum of Jerusalem,

``our eyes have not seen him that hath shed this blood;''

by which expression is meant, that they had no manner of knowledge of the murderer, nor of any circumstance that could lead them to suspect or conclude who he was.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Ut supra, (Sotah. c. 9.) sect. 6.

Deuteronomy 21:7 In-Context

5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the LORD, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled.

6 And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;

7 and they shall testify, 'Our hands did not shed this blood, neither did our eyes see it shed.

8 Forgive, O LORD, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and set not the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel; but let the guilt of blood be forgiven them.'

9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.