Deuteronomy 21:3

“And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, etc.] And so suspected, as the Targum of Jonathan, of the murder; or the murderer is in it, or however belonged to it: even the elders of the city shall take an heifer; of a year old, as the same Targum, and so Jarchi; and in this the Jewish writers agree, that it must be a year old, but not two; though heifers of three years old were sometimes used in sacrifice, (<011509>Genesis 15:9) a type of Christ, in his strength, laboriousness, and patience; (see <041902>Numbers 19:2) which hath not been wrought with; in ploughing land, or treading out corn: and which hath not drawn in the yoke, which never had any yoke put upon it; or…”

“The requirements as regards place and victim are symbolic. The heifer represented the murderer, so far at least as to die in his stead, since he himself could not be found. As hearing his guilt the heifer must therefore be one which was of full growth and strength, and had not yet been ceremonially profaned by human use. The Christian commentators find here a type of Christ and of His sacrifice for man: but the heifer was not strictly a sacrifice or sin-offering. The transaction was rather figurative, and was so ordered as to impress the lesson of Genesis 9:5. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Which hath not drawn in the yoke - A fit representative of the murderer, in whose stead it was killed, who would not bear the yoke of God's laws. A type also of Christ, who was under the yoke, but what he had voluntarily taken upon himself. Deuteronomy 21:4”

“21:3-8 An avenger from the victim’s family (19:6-7; Num 35:16-29) could not hold the whole community responsible.”

“an: Num 19:2; Jer 31:18; Mat 11:28-30; Phi 2:8 Deuteronomy 21:4”