Deuteronomy 21:4
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New International Version (©1984)
and lead her 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 American Standard Bible (©1995)
and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The leaders of that city will bring the heifer down to a river, to a location where the land hasn't been plowed or planted. At the river they must break the heifer's neck.

King James Bible
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:

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

American Standard Version
and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley.

Bible in Basic English
And they are to take the cow into a valley where there is flowing water, and which is not ploughed or planted, and there the neck of the cow is to be broken:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall bring her into a rough and stony valley, that never was ploughed, nor sown: and there they shall strike off the head of the heifer:

Darby Bible Translation
and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto an ever-flowing watercourse, which is not tilled, nor is it sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the watercourse;

English Revised Version
and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley:

Webster's Bible Translation
And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a rough valley, which is neither tilled nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley;

World English Bible
and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley.

Young's Literal Translation
and the elders of that city have brought down the heifer unto a hard valley, which is not tilled nor sown, and have beheaded there the heifer in the valley.

Geneva Study Bible

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

(b) That the blood shed of the innocent beasts in a solitary place, might make them abhor the fact.

Wesley's Notes

21:4 A rough valley - That such a desert and horrid place might beget an horror of murder and of the murderer. Strike off the neck - To shew what they would and should have done to the murderer if they had found him.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:1-9 If a murderer could not be found out, great solemnity is provided for putting away the guilt from the land, as an expression of dread and detesting of that sin. The providence of God has often wonderfully brought to light these hidden works of darkness, and the sin of the guilty has often strangely found them out. The dread of murder should be deeply impressed upon every heart, and all should join in detecting and punishing those who are guilty. The elders were to profess that they had not been any way aiding or abetting the sin. The priests were to pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful. We must empty that measure by our prayers, which others are filling by their sins. All would be taught by this solemnity, to use the utmost care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder. We may all learn from hence to take heed of partaking in other men's sins. And we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, if we do not reprove them.


Deuteronomy 21:3 "It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke;
Deuteronomy 21:5 "Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the LORD; and every dispute and every assault shall be settled by them. (NASB ©1995)

Break City Cow Elders Ever-Flowing Hard Heifer Heifer's Lead Neck Planted Ploughed Plowed Rough Running Sown Stream Strike Tilled Valley Water Watercourse


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:

a rough valley As the word {nachal} signifies both a {torrent}, and the {valley or glen} through which it flows, {nachal aithan} may be rendered a {rapid torrent} Many torrents in Judea are dry during a great part of the year; when not only their banks but their beds may be ploughed, and yield a crop. Hence there is no impropriety in specifying that such a place should be one that `is neither cared nor sown;' while the circumstance that the elders were to {wash} their hands over the heifer, whose head had been struck off into the stream, confirms this interpretation. The spot ground where this sacrifice was made must be {uncultivated}, because it was considered as a sacrifice for the atonement of murder, and, consequently, would {pollute} the land.

shall strike 1Pe 2:21-24 3:18

Bible Gateway: Deuteronomy Chapter 21 Verse 4 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: a and are been break bring city down elders flowing has heifer heifer's her in is lead neck not of or planted plowed running shall sown stream that the there they to valley water where which with

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