John Gill's Exposition on Deuteronomy 21:7

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

And they shall answer and say, etc.] The elders of the city, at the time of the washing of their hands: our hands have not shed this blood; have been no ways concerned in it, nor accessory to it: the Targum of Jonathan is, “it is manifest before the Lord that he did not come into our hands, nor did we dismiss him, that has shed this blood;” which is more fully explained in the Misnah f271; for had they been aware of him, or had any suspicion of him or his design, they would have detained him, or at least would not have suffered him to have departed alone: neither have our eyes seen; it, or him; so the Targum of Jerusalem, “our eyes have not seen him that hath shed this blood;” by which expression is meant, that they had no manner of knowledge of the murderer, nor of any circumstance that could lead them to suspect or conclude who he was.

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