Deuteronomy 21:8 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. {unto thy people of: Heb. in the midst, etc}”

Deuteronomy 21:8

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

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:

And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen {it}.

Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. {unto thy people of: Heb. in the midst, etc}

So shalt thou put away the {guilt of} innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do {that which is} right in the sight of the LORD.

When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,

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Deuteronomy 21:1

"If {one} be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, {and} it be not known who hath slain him:"

Deuteronomy 21:2

"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 21:3

"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 21:4

"And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley:"

Deuteronomy 21:5

"And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be {tried}: {word: Heb. mouth}"

Deuteronomy 21:6

"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:"

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