1
When
one is found dead in the land which the LORD thy God gives thee to inherit, lying in the field,
and it is not known who has slain him,
2
then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which
are round about him that is dead;
3
and it shall be
that the elders of the city
which is next unto the dead man shall take a heifer, which has not served,
and which has not drawn in the yoke;
4
and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which has neither been plowed nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley.
5
And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for the LORD thy God has chosen them to minister unto him and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be determined.
6
And all the elders of that closest city next to the dead
man shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley.
7
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen
it.
8
Reconcile thy people Israel, whom thou hast ransomed, O LORD, and impute not the innocent blood shed in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
9
So shalt thou put away the
guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do
that which is right in the sight of the LORD.
10
When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God has delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,