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Deuteronomy 21:6

4 bring the heifer to a valley with running water that has not been plowed or sown, and break its neck there by the stream.

5 And 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.

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,

7 and they shall declare, “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.

8 Accept 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.

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This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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,
KJV
And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
WEB
All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.
ASV
And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
DARBY
And all the elders of that city, that are nearest unto him that is slain, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck is broken in the watercourse,
BLB
And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain one shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
ÅB
Og alle de eldste i denne by, de som bor nærmest den drepte, skal vaske sine hender over kvigen som de har knekket nakken på ved bekken.
OTB
Alle de eldste i byen nærmest kroppen skal vaske sine hender over kvigen hvis nakke ble brutt i dalen,
B1930
Og alle de eldste i denne by, de som bor nærmest den drepte, skal tvette sine hender over kvigen som de har knekket nakken på ved bekken.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

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