“Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,”
Deuteronomy 21:6 (BSB)
Context Reading
4bring the heifer to a valley with running water that has not been plowed or sown, and break its neck there by the stream. 5And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every dispute and case of assault. 6Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken, 7and they shall declare, “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. 8Accept this atonement, O LORD, for Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, and do not hold the shedding of innocent blood against them.” And the bloodshed will be atoned for.