Deuteronomy 21:1–9

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: ²Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain: ³And 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; ⁴And 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: ⁵And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for ^athem the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and ^bby their ^†word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: ⁶And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, ^cshall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: ⁷And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. ⁸Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, ^dand lay not innocent blood ^†unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. ⁹So ^eshalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.