If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:

If one is found slain, lying in a field in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,

Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:

your elders and judges must come out and measure the distance from the victim to the neighboring cities.

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;

Then the elders of the city nearest the victim shall take a heifer that has never been yoked or used for work,

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:

bring the heifer to a valley with running water that has not been plowed or sown, and break its neck there by the stream.

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:

And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every dispute and case of assault.

And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:

Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,

And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

and they shall declare, “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.

Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

Accept this atonement, O LORD, for Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, and do not hold the shedding of innocent blood against them.” And the bloodshed will be atoned for.