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Deuteronomy 21:2-4
New English Translation
Deuteronomy 21:2-4
New English Translation
2 your elders and judges must go out and measure how far it is to the cities in the vicinity of the corpse.[a] 3 Then the elders of the city nearest to the corpse[b] must take from the herd a heifer that has not been worked—that has never pulled with the yoke— 4 and bring the heifer down to a wadi with flowing water,[c] to a valley that is neither plowed nor sown.[d] There at the wadi they are to break the heifer’s neck.
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- Deuteronomy 21:2 tn Heb “surrounding the slain [one].”
- Deuteronomy 21:3 tn Heb “slain [one].”
- Deuteronomy 21:4 tn The combination “a wadi with flowing water” is necessary because a wadi (נַחַל, nakhal) was ordinarily a dry stream or riverbed. For this ritual, however, a perennial stream must be chosen so that there would be fresh, rushing water.
- Deuteronomy 21:4 sn The unworked heifer, fresh stream, and uncultivated valley speak of ritual purity—of freedom from human contamination.
Deuteronomy 21:2-4
New International Version
Deuteronomy 21:2-4
New International Version
2 your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. 3 Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke(A) 4 and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck.
New English Translation (NET)
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