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Deuteronomy 21:8

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 21:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Forgive, O Jehovah, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and suffer not innocent blood [to remain] in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood shall be forgiven them.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Forgive, O Jehovah, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and suffer not innocent blood [to remain] in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
Deuteronomy 21:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them Jehovah thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of Jehovah; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be.
6And 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;
7and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
8Forgive, O Jehovah, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and suffer not innocent blood [to remain] in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
9So shalt thou put away the innocent blood from the midst of thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah.
10When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and Jehovah thy God delivereth them into thy hands, and thou carriest them away captive,
11and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;
← Deuteronomy 21:7Deuteronomy 21:9 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Be merciful, O Lord, to thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, etc.] Out of Egyptian bondage, and claimed as his own; and therefore it is requested he would be favourable to them, and show them mercy, and not punish them for a sin they were entirely ignorant of, though done by some one among them, whom as yet they could not discover. The words seem to be the words of the elders continued, who having made a declaration of their innocence, humbly request mercy of God, not only for themselves, but for all the people of Israel; yet, both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan take them to be the words of the priests, and so does Jarchi, and the same is affirmed in the Misnah f272: and lay not…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Forgiven - Though there was no mortal guilt in this people, yet there was a ceremonial uncleanness in the land, which was to be expiated and forgiven. Deuteronomy 21:10”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“lay not: Num 35:33; Sa2 3:28; Kg2 24:4; Psa 19:12; Jer 26:15; Eze 23:3, Eze 23:24, Eze 23:25; Jon 1:14; Mat 23:35; Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16 unto thy people: Heb. in the midst Deuteronomy 21:9”
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Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 21 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification