Deuteronomy 21:2 kjv
Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:
Deuteronomy 21:2 nkjv
then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance from the slain man to the surrounding cities.
Deuteronomy 21:2 niv
your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns.
Deuteronomy 21:2 esv
then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities.
Deuteronomy 21:2 nlt
In such a case, your elders and judges must measure the distance from the site of the crime to the nearby towns.
Deuteronomy 21 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 4:10-11 | And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed from the ground..." | Blood crying out, land defilement |
| Num 35:33-34 | "You shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. You shall not defile the land in which you dwell..." | Blood pollutes land, atonement needed |
| Dt 19:10 | "lest innocent blood be shed in your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus bloodguilt come upon you." | Preventing bloodguilt |
| Dt 19:11-13 | But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him...you shall cut him off. | Pursuit of murderers, removing evil |
| Josh 20:2-6 | "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge..." | Cities for accidental killing |
| 1 Sam 4:9 | "...Be strong, and prove yourselves men, O Philistines, lest you serve the Hebrews..." | Communal action/responsibility |
| Judg 21:19 | So they said, “Indeed, there is the annual feast of the Lord in Shiloh..." | Practical details, specific actions taken |
| Ez 9:6 | "...begin at My sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the temple. | Elders as initial enforcers of judgment |
| 2 Sam 14:11 | "...lest the avenger of blood destroy any more, and my son be destroyed.” And he said, "As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground!” | Sacredness of life, preventing more bloodshed |
| Ps 9:12 | When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble. | Divine remembrance of innocent blood |
| Ps 106:38 | And shed innocent blood, Even the blood of their sons and daughters...And the land was defiled with blood. | Idolatry and land defilement |
| Jer 2:34 | "Also on your skirts is found the blood of the lives of the poor innocents..." | Innocent blood staining a community |
| Hos 4:2-3 | "...there is no truth or mercy...swearing and lying...Therefore the land will mourn..." | Sin leading to land's distress |
| Hag 2:13 | Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a corpse touches any of these things, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It will be unclean.” | Ritual impurity from contact with death |
| Mt 27:24-25 | When Pilate saw that he could not prevail...He took water and washed his hands...saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it." And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children.” | Hand-washing as a sign of innocence/transfer of guilt |
| Acts 6:3 | Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation...whom we may appoint over this business... | Appointment of leadership roles |
| Acts 15:4 | And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. | Elders as governing figures |
| Heb 9:22 | And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. | Blood for purification/remission |
| Heb 12:24 | to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. | Better sacrifice, speaking redemption |
| Gal 6:5 | For each one shall bear his own load. | Corporate vs. individual responsibility |
| Jas 2:13 | For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. | Principles of justice |
| Rev 6:9-10 | ...I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God...crying with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” | Innocent blood cries for vengeance |
Deuteronomy 21 verses
Deuteronomy 21 2 Meaning
Deuteronomy 21:2 outlines the initial step for a legal process when an unidentified corpse is discovered in the open country of Israel. It mandates that the community's leading figures—the elders and judges—must physically leave their dwellings to ascertain which surrounding city is geographically closest to the victim. This meticulous measurement establishes the communal jurisdiction and responsibility for the unsolved murder, signaling the profound impurity that bloodshed brings upon the land and its inhabitants, necessitating a prescribed act of atonement.
Deuteronomy 21 2 Context
Deuteronomy 21 is a specific set of laws concerning various aspects of Israelite life, emphasizing community responsibility and the maintenance of holiness within the land. Verse 2 builds directly upon the preceding verse (Dt 21:1), which describes the scenario: "If anyone is found slain in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess, lying in the open country, and it is not known who murdered him." This initial scenario triggers the unusual ritual detailed from Dt 21:2 through 21:9. The broader context of Deuteronomy focuses on Moses reiterating God's Law before Israel enters the Promised Land, aiming to establish a just, holy, and pure society that reflects God's character. The concept of corporate responsibility for unatoned sin, especially bloodshed, is crucial throughout the Pentateuch, as the land itself is seen as belonging to Yahweh and thus defiled by human transgression. This specific law serves as a practical, ritualistic mechanism to purge bloodguilt when a murderer cannot be identified, preventing the land and the people from suffering divine judgment for innocent blood.
Deuteronomy 21 2 Word analysis
- then: Links this action directly to the previous verse (Dt 21:1). It's a sequential instruction, initiating the response once the circumstance is identified.
- your elders: Hebrew: zekenim (זְקֵנִים). Refers to the respected, senior men of authority in the community, often acting as local leaders and magistrates. They embody wisdom, experience, and the communal conscience. Their involvement highlights the community's collective responsibility in legal matters.
- and your judges: Hebrew: shofetim (שֹׁפְטִים). These were official appointees specifically tasked with administering justice according to the Torah. Their presence alongside the elders indicates a formal, legally binding, and impartial investigation. It underscores the importance of the law being applied properly.
- shall come out: Implies a physical journey and direct engagement. It's not a remote deliberation but an active presence at the site of the transgression, signifying the gravity and directness required in addressing such a defilement.
- and measure: Hebrew: madadu (מָדְד֣וּ). Signifies a precise, verifiable act. This objective measurement is crucial for determining which community bears the immediate responsibility. It ensures fairness and prevents disputes among neighboring towns regarding culpability.
- the distance: Refers to the spatial separation between the corpse and the surrounding cities. This quantitative detail establishes clear jurisdictional boundaries.
- from the corpse: The dead body. This is the central object of the law, representing a life unjustly taken and a source of significant defilement (tumah) to the land and its people. Its very presence demands resolution.
- to the surrounding cities: Indicates that responsibility for an unsolved crime falls corporately on the nearest settled communities. It highlights the territorial and communal nature of accountability within Israel, where unatoned sin by one can affect many.
Words-group analysis:
- "your elders and your judges": This pairing emphasizes the joint civil and judicial authority. It shows a system where traditional community leaders work in tandem with formalized legal officials to ensure justice and uphold divine law, reflecting a comprehensive approach to governance in Israel.
- "shall come out and measure": This phrase mandates direct, on-site action and precise, objective determination. It indicates that the legal process for purging bloodguilt is not a theoretical exercise but a tangible, physical procedure. This physical act underlines the gravity of the defilement and the active steps required for purification.
- "the distance from the corpse to the surrounding cities": This entire phrase delineates the core purpose of the initial step: identifying the most proximate community. It signifies the theological principle that unsolved murder defiles the immediate area, necessitating a specific purification ritual performed by those nearest to the scene, implying their communal responsibility for the prevention or discovery of the crime.
Deuteronomy 21 2 Bonus section
The specific method of determining proximity to the "surrounding cities" indicates that there wasn't a singular, central judicial authority that automatically handled all matters; rather, justice had local facets that interfaced with a broader national covenant. The act of measuring by the elders and judges symbolizes not just a practical survey, but a divinely ordained investigative and attribution process. This unique Israelite law has no direct parallel in other Ancient Near Eastern law codes, emphasizing Israel's distinctive covenantal relationship with Yahweh and His absolute demand for holiness and justice, particularly concerning the shedding of innocent blood. The concept of land defilement and purification from bloodguilt found here foreshadows the ultimate defilement by sin and the need for a perfect atonement, which finds its fulfillment in Christ's sacrificial blood for the sins of humanity, cleansing us and the "land" of our lives from the deepest pollution.
Deuteronomy 21 2 Commentary
Deuteronomy 21:2 outlines the initial critical step in an extraordinary ritual designed to purify the land from unatoned bloodguilt. In Israel, innocent blood spilled without proper expiation was believed to defile the land (Num 35:33). This verse shows that even when the direct perpetrator of a murder is unknown, the community cannot ignore the transgression. Instead, specific leadership figures, the elders and judges, are commanded to personally engage. Their act of "coming out" and "measuring the distance" is more than a mere administrative task; it’s an immediate, practical response to a defilement that affects the entire land and its inhabitants.
The precision of the measurement highlights the law's exactness and its objective nature. There is no room for conjecture or evasion. The community deemed closest, by divine decree through this measurement, becomes responsible for undertaking the purification ritual outlined in the subsequent verses. This corporate responsibility serves as a constant reminder of the sanctity of human life and the collective duty of the Israelite community to maintain purity within the land God gave them. It speaks to a societal concern for justice even in the face of uncertainty, a profound trust that God cares deeply about bloodshed, and a belief that communal actions could bring about divine favor or wrath. The ceremony itself underscores the depth of impurity caused by innocent bloodshed, necessitating a dramatic ritual involving animal sacrifice and hand-washing by the elders, symbolic of purging the land and themselves from the defilement.