2. then your elders and your judges shall go out, and they shall measure the distance from the slain man to the cities round about.
3. “And it shall be that the elders of the city nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer which has not been worked and which has not pulled with a yoke,
4. and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a wadi with flowing water, which is neither ploughed nor sown, and they shall break the heifer’s neck there in the wadi.
5. “And the priests, the sons of Lĕwi, shall come near, for יהוה your Elohim has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the Name of יהוה, and by their mouth every strife and every stroke is tried.
6. “And let all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the wadi.
7. “And they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it.
8. ‘O יהוה, forgive Your people Yisra’ĕl, whom You have redeemed, and do not allow innocent blood in the midst of Your people Yisra’ĕl.’ And the blood-guilt shall be pardoned to them.
9. “Thus you purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst when you do what is right in the eyes of יהוה.
10. “When you go out to fight against your enemies, and יהוה your Elohim shall give them into your hand, and you shall take them captive,