¹ If one be found slain in the land which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it, lying in the field, and it isn't known who has struck him; ² then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure to the cities which are around him who is slain: ³ and it shall be, that the city which is nearest to the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hasn't been worked with, and which has not drawn in the yoke; ⁴ and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. ⁵ The priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them Yahweh your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be. ⁶ All the elders of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; ⁷ and they shall answer and say, "Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. ⁸ Forgive, Yahweh, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and don't allow innocent blood [to remain] in the midst of your people Israel." The blood shall be forgiven them. ⁹ So you shall put away the innocent blood from the midst of you, when you shall do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh.