Deuteronomy 21 · Verse 4

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 21:4, King James Version

Deuteronomy 21:4 in other translations

BSBbring the heifer to a valley with running water that has not been plowed or sown, and break its neck there by the stream.
WEBThe elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.
ASVand 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.
YLTand 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.
DARBYand 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;
BBEAnd 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:
WebsterAnd 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;

What does Deuteronomy 21:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 21:1-6

De 21:1-9. Expiation of Uncertain Murder. 1-6. If one be found slain ... lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him--The ceremonies here ordained to be observed on the discovery of a slaughtered corpse show the ideas of sanctity which the Mosaic law sought to associate with human blood, the horror which murder inspired, as well as the fears that were felt lest God should avenge it on the country at…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 21:1-6 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley - נחל איתן nachal eythan might be translated a rapid stream, probably passing through a piece of uncultivated ground where the elders of the city were to strike off the head of the heifer, and to wash their hands over her in token of their innocence. The spot of ground on which this sacrifice was made must be uncultivated, because it was considered to be a sacrifice to make atonement for the murder, and consequently would pollute the land. This regulation was calculated to keep murder in abhorrence, and to make the magistrates alert in their office, that delinquents might be discovered and punished, and thus public expense saved.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:1-9

The first-born not to be disinherited for private affection. (15-17) A stubborn son to be stoned. (18-21) Malefactors not to be left hanging all night. (22-23) Verses 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…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 21:1-9 →

Deuteronomy 21:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהוֹרִ֡דוּve.ho.Ri.duand they will bring downH3381
זִקְנֵי֩zik.Nei[the] elders ofH2205
הָעִ֨ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
הַהִ֤ואha.Hiv'<the> thatH1931
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ha.'eg.Lahthe heiferH5697
אֶל\־'el-toH413
נַ֣חַלNa.chala wadiH5158
אֵיתָ֔ן'ei.Tanever-flowingH386
אֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.SherwhichH834
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יֵעָבֵ֥דye.'a.Vedit is tilledH5647
בּ֖וֹboin <the> it
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִזָּרֵ֑עַyi.za.Re.a'it is sownH2232
וְעָֽרְפוּ\־ve.'a.re.fu-and they will break [the] neck ofH6202
שָׁ֥םshamthereH8033
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעֶגְלָ֖הha.'eg.Lahthe heiferH5697
בַּנָּֽחַל\׃ba.Na.chalin the wadiH5158

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 21:4

  • 1 Peter 3:18

    For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

  • 1 Peter 2:21-24

    For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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 of 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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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:

Read all of Deuteronomy 21

Deuteronomy 21:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los ancianos de aquella ciudad traerán la becerra á un valle áspero, que nunca haya sido arado ni sembrado, y cortarán el pescuezo á la becerra allí en el valle.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et les anciens de cette ville feront descendre la génisse dans une vallée où coule un torrent qui ne tarit pas, dans laquelle on ne travaille ni ne sème, et là, dans la vallée, ils briseront la nuque à la génisse.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und die Ältesten jener Stadt sollen die Färse zu einem immer fließenden Bache hinabführen, in welchem nicht gearbeitet und nicht gesät wird, und sollen der Färse daselbst im Bache das Genick brechen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et ducent eam ad vallem asperam atque saxosam, quæ numquam arata est, nec sementem recepit: et cædent in ea cervices vitulæ: