and declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, and our eyes did not see it done.
In context
5The priests, the sons of Levi, are to come forward, since Yahweh your God has chosen them to minister to him and to pronounce blessings in the name of Yahweh, and every dispute and every assault is to be settled by their word. 6Then all the elders of the city nearest the body are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the wadi, 7and declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, and our eyes did not see it done. 8Accept atonement, Yahweh, for your people Israel, whom you redeemed, and do not hold your people Israel guilty of innocent blood.” Then the bloodguilt will be atoned for. 9In this way you will purge from among you the guilt of innocent blood, since you will be doing what is right in the eyes of Yahweh.
