Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 21:9
So shalt 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.
9. So shalt thou put away ] Heb. and thou, thou shalt put away, an emphatic variation of the formula with which D usually closes similar laws (see Deu 13:5, (6), Deu 19:13, etc.), as if he only now resumed his own words.
when thou shalt do, etc.] To make the construction right we should prefix to this clause, the words that it may be well with thee. See Deu 6:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you,…. Which otherwise, the person not being found out, and brought to just punishment for it, would devolve upon the whole. Aben Ezra interprets it the punishment of innocent blood, which, by the above method being taken, would not be inflicted on them:
when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord; as it was to observe this law concerning the beheading of the heifer, with all the rites and ceremonies belonging to it here enjoined; as well as every other command, statute, and ordinance of the Lord, which are all right to be done, Ps 19:8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ver. 9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood Till this was done, the guilt was to be looked upon as national; but upon this solemn performance the government was deemed to have discharged its duty, and the nation was cleared of all guilt in the matter. This law, we see, made provision to purify a neighbouring city, and in a solemn manner by their magistrates, from any knowledge of a murder in which they had no hand, and to which they were no way privy; to keep up an abhorrence of the crime, and a care to prevent or detest it: in which particular it is remarkable that no ancient lawgiver has been more exact than Moses. The Greeks had some good rules respecting this matter; and Plato, in particular, ordered, that, “upon the finding a murdered body, public declaration should be made, that the murderer (if he could not be discovered) should banish himself immediately from his country.” De Leg. vol. 2: lib. 2.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
put away, &c. See note on Deu 13:5.
guilt of innocent blood = blood-guiltiness, blood being put for guilt. See note on Deu 21:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
shalt thou: Deu 19:12, Deu 19:13
when thou shalt: Deu 13:18, 2Ki 10:30, 2Ki 10:31
Reciprocal: 1Ki 2:31 – that thou 2Ki 21:16 – Manasseh Psa 106:38 – shed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 21:9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood Till this was done, the guilt was to be looked upon as national; but upon this being solemnly performed, the government was deemed to have done its duty, and the nation cleared of all guilt in this matter. No doubt the chief end of the appointment of this ceremony was to beget and preserve in the minds of men an abhorrence of murder, and a care to prevent or detect it.