Deuteronomy 21:7

7 and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen .

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 Levites shall come, because the Lord God has chosen them to stand by him, and to bless in his name, and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be .

6 And all the elders of that city who draw nigh to the slain man shall wash their hands over the head of the heifer which was slain in the valley;

7 and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen .

8 Be merciful to thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, O Lord, that innocent blood may not be charged on thy people Israel: and the blood shall be atoned for to them.

9 And thou shalt take away innocent blood from among you, if thou shouldest do that which is good and pleasing before the Lord thy God.