The Meaning of Deuteronomy 21:3 Explained

Deuteronomy 21:3

KJV: And 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;

YLT: and it hath been, the city which is near unto the slain one, even the elders of that city have taken a heifer of the herd, which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in the yoke,

Darby: and the city that is nearest unto him that is slain, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer that hath not been wrought with, that hath not drawn in the yoke;

ASV: and it shall be, that the city which is nearest unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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; 

What does Deuteronomy 21:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 21

1  The Atonement for an Unsolved Murder
10  The usage of a captive taken to wife
15  The firstborn is not to be disinherited upon private affection
18  A rebellious son is to be stoned to death
22  The malefactor must not hang all night on a tree

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 21:3 mean?

and it shall be [that] the city nearest to the slain man and will take the elders of city that a heifer of the herd which not has been worked in [and] which not has pulled with a yoke
וְהָיָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה אֶל־ הֶחָלָ֑ל וְלָֽקְח֡וּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֜וא עֶגְלַ֣ת בָּקָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ עֻבַּד֙ בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ מָשְׁכָ֖ה בְּעֹֽל

וְהָיָ֣ה  and  it  shall  be  [that] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הָעִ֔יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה  nearest 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: קָרֹוב  
Sense: near.
הֶחָלָ֑ל  the  slain  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
וְלָֽקְח֡וּ  and  will  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
זִקְנֵי֩  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הָעִ֨יר  of  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַהִ֜וא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
עֶגְלַ֣ת  a  heifer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֶגְלָה 
Sense: heifer.
בָּקָ֗ר  of  the  herd 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
עֻבַּד֙  has  been  worked 
Parse: Verb, QalPass, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  [and]  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מָשְׁכָ֖ה  has  pulled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָשַׁךְ  
Sense: to draw, drag, seize.
בְּעֹֽל  with  a  yoke 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹל  
Sense: yoke.

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 21:3?

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