Deuteronomy 21:7

7 They should declare: "We did not kill this person, and we did not 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, the sons of Levi, should come forward, because they have been chosen by the Lord your God to serve him and to give blessings in the Lord's name. They are the ones who decide cases of quarreling and attacks.

6 Then all the older leaders of the city nearest the murdered person should wash their hands over the young cow whose neck was broken in the valley.

7 They should declare: "We did not kill this person, and we did not see it happen.

8 Lord, remove this sin from your people Israel, whom you have saved. Don't blame your people, the Israelites, for the murder of this innocent person." And so the murder will be paid for.

9 Then you will have removed from yourselves the guilt of murdering an innocent person, because you will be doing what the Lord says is right.