Deuteronomy 21:7

7 They'll say to the Lord, "We didn't kill that person. We didn't see it happen.

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 The priests, who are sons of Levi, will step forward. The LORD your God has chosen them to serve him. He wants them to bless the people in his name. He wants them to decide all cases that have to do with people arguing and attacking others.

6 Then all of the elders from the town that is nearest to the body will wash their hands. They will wash them over the young cow whose neck they broke in the valley.

7 They'll say to the Lord, "We didn't kill that person. We didn't see it happen.

8 Accept this payment for the sin of your people Israel. Lord, you have set your people free. Don't hold them guilty for spilling the blood of someone who hasn't done anything wrong." That will pay for the death of that person.

9 So you will get rid of the guilt of killing someone who didn't do anything wrong. That's because you have done what is right in the LORD's eyes.