The Church Fathers on this verse

Deuteronomy 21:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And the ancients of that city shall come to the person slain, and shall wash their hands over the heifer that was killed in the valley,

Douay-Rheims

וְכֹ֗ל זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔וא הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים אֶל־הֶחָלָ֑ל יִרְחֲצוּ֙ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה הָעֲרוּפָ֥ה בַנָּֽחַל׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

Those who turn away from the iniquity of the Jews, departing from the city where He faced martyrdom and agony, and journeying into the barren and untamed wilderness, will cleanse their hands over Christ Himself, as they will be purified through the baptism into His death. This is evidenced, I believe, by the act of their hands being washed.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.