The Meaning of Deuteronomy 21:6 Explained

Deuteronomy 21:6

KJV: 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:

YLT: and all the elders of that city, who are near unto the slain one, do wash their hands over the heifer which is beheaded in the valley,

Darby: And all the elders of that city, that are nearest unto him that is slain, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck is broken in the watercourse,

ASV: And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Deuteronomy 21:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 21

1  The Atonement for an Unsolved Murder
10  The usage of a captive taken to wife
15  The firstborn is not to be disinherited upon private affection
18  A rebellious son is to be stoned to death
22  The malefactor must not hang all night on a tree

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 21:6 mean?

And all the elders of city that nearest to the slain [man] shall wash - their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley
וְכֹ֗ל זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔וא הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים אֶל־ הֶחָלָ֑ל יִרְחֲצוּ֙ אֶת־ יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־ הָעֶגְלָ֖ה הָעֲרוּפָ֥ה בַנָּֽחַל

וְכֹ֗ל  And  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זִקְנֵי֙  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הָעִ֣יר  of  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַהִ֔וא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים  nearest 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קָרֹוב  
Sense: near.
הֶחָלָ֑ל  the  slain  [man] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
יִרְחֲצוּ֙  shall  wash 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָחַץ  
Sense: to wash, wash off, wash away, bathe.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְדֵיהֶ֔ם  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָעֶגְלָ֖ה  the  heifer 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶגְלָה 
Sense: heifer.
הָעֲרוּפָ֥ה  whose  neck  was  broken 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: עָרַף  
Sense: (Qal) to break the neck (of an animal).
בַנָּֽחַל  in  the  valley 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.