Deuteronomy 21 3

Deuteronomy 21:3 kjv

And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

Deuteronomy 21:3 nkjv

And it shall be that the elders of the city nearest to the slain man will take a heifer which has not been worked and which has not pulled with a yoke.

Deuteronomy 21:3 niv

Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke

Deuteronomy 21:3 esv

And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke.

Deuteronomy 21:3 nlt

When the nearest town has been determined, that town's elders must select from the herd a heifer that has never been trained or yoked to a plow.

Deuteronomy 21 verses

Deuteronomy 21 3 Meaning

Deuteronomy 21:3 specifies the initial action to be taken in the unique ritual for an unsolved murder. When a body is found and the perpetrator is unknown, the elders of the nearest city are responsible for initiating a purification ceremony to cleanse the land of the defilement caused by innocent blood. This verse details that they are to bring a heifer that has never been used for work or had a yoke placed upon it, symbolizing its purity and untouched nature, which is crucial for its sacred purpose in the subsequent ritual of atonement for the community and the land.

Deuteronomy 21 3 Context

Deuteronomy 21 focuses on various laws related to purity, justice, and community order within Israel, particularly emphasizing actions to cleanse defilement from the land. This chapter outlines specific judicial and social regulations beyond the major ten commandments or core covenant stipulations. Verses 1-9 detail the "atonement ritual for an unatoned murder" (eglah arufah). The finding of a murdered body in the open country without an identifiable culprit was seen as a communal burden and a defilement of the land itself. The ritual prescribed was not a sacrifice in the traditional sense, but a symbolic act performed by the elders of the nearest city, aimed at acknowledging the injustice, publicly disavowing complicity, and symbolically atoning for the innocent blood that defiled the divinely-given land. Historically, such an occurrence could bring collective guilt or divine wrath upon the community, making this a crucial measure to ensure God's blessing and continued presence.

Deuteronomy 21 3 Word analysis

• and the elders (וְהוֹרִידוּ זִקְנֵי, vehoridu ziqnei):
  • "elders" (זִקְנֵי, ziqnei): Refers to the recognized leaders and representatives of the city's populace, who held judicial authority and spiritual responsibility for their community. Their involvement signifies the communal nature of the sin and the corporate responsibility for atonement and justice, highlighting that innocent bloodshed impacts the entire city and not just the perpetrator. This contrasts with societies where such responsibility might only fall to priests or a central ruler.
• of that city (עִיר הַהִיא, ir hahi):
  • "city" (עִיר, ir): Represents the closest organized Israelite community. The law ties the responsibility to the geographically nearest administrative unit, ensuring accountability is local and direct. This emphasizes God’s concern for order and purity at every level of society, not just nationally.
• shall bring forth (וְהוֹרִידוּ, vehoridu):
  • "shall bring forth": The Hebrew verb is a causative Hiphil form, meaning "they shall lead down" or "cause to be brought down." This suggests a deliberate, active participation by the elders, underscoring their direct involvement and responsibility in performing this purification ritual. The leading down aspect likely relates to the ritual being performed in a valley.
• the heifer (עֶגְלַת, eglat):
  • "heifer" (עֶגְלָה, eglah): A young female bovine, typically less than three years old, that has not yet had a calf. This specific choice of animal signifies its youth, untainted nature, and inherent value. Its unblemished quality for sacred use is paramount.
• out of the valley (מִן־הַנַּחַל, min ha-nachal):
  • "valley" (נַחַל, nachal): Refers to a wadi or a dry riverbed, which could also describe a ravine or desolate gorge. This geographical location is significant as the subsequent verse (v.4) specifies it must be a "rough valley" (nachal ethan) which has not been tilled, further emphasizing the untouched, natural purity needed for the ritual space itself, contrasting with cultivated land that represents human activity and potential defilement.
• which is neither eared (אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עֻבַּד בָּהּ, asher lo-ubbad bah):
  • "neither eared": The Hebrew verb here (ubbad) means "to be worked" or "to be cultivated" (e.g., land). This refers to the heifer never having been used for ploughing, pulling a cart, or any agricultural work. This means its physical strength has not been exploited, and it remains 'pure' in a ritual sense, having served no mundane purpose.
• nor bowed down to the yoke (וְלֹא־מָשְׁכָה בְעֹל, velow-makhka ve'ol):
  • "bowed down to the yoke" (מָשְׁכָה בְעֹל, makhka be'ol): "Makhka" means to draw or pull, and "ol" means a yoke. This specifies that no yoke, a wooden beam used to connect two animals for work or to attach a plow, has ever been placed upon this heifer. This reiterates its pristine, untainted condition, suitable for a sacred purpose, aligning with the principle of reserving the unblemished and unworked for the Lord (cf. Num 19:2, 1 Sam 6:7). The animal is truly set apart, having no prior function in human labor.

Deuteronomy 21 3 Bonus section

The concept of a pristine, unused animal for a sacred ritual reflects a theological principle seen throughout the Old Testament: that which is dedicated to God should be set apart and unmarred by common or defiling use. This not only signifies the holiness of the ritual but also the high esteem in which the act of atonement or purification is held. The Hebrew legal system was incredibly detailed, leaving little to ambiguity, thus emphasizing that collective moral and spiritual purity was paramount to maintaining God's presence and blessings in the land. The fact that an entire community bore the burden of an unsolved murder demonstrates the deep-seated understanding of corporate solidarity in ancient Israel and God's view of how sin can impact the whole assembly. This ritual was not merely legalistic; it was designed to cultivate a profound awareness of the sanctity of life and a shared responsibility for upholding divine justice and holiness.

Deuteronomy 21 3 Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:3 is a precise directive within a crucial communal purification ritual for an unsolved murder, a ritual demonstrating God’s profound concern for human life and the sanctity of the land. The meticulous selection of the heifer, one that is young, never worked, and has never known a yoke, is central. This requirement is not arbitrary; it symbolizes purity, dedication, and freedom from prior burdens. An unblemished animal, unstained by common use, was deemed fit for an extraordinary divine purpose, echoing similar demands for sacrifices presented to God. The choice reflects the sacredness of human life and the gravity of innocent bloodshed, necessitating an equally 'pure' means of communal expiation. The elders, as community leaders, must actively bring the heifer, underscoring their responsibility and the collective nature of atonement required for the land's defilement. The very specificity of the animal, untainted by human toil, foreshadows the perfection required for true atonement, ultimately pointing to Christ's blameless sacrifice, which alone perfectly cleansed humanity and the "land" of all defilement from sin.