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;
let it fall on the head of Yo'av, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Yo'av one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.
If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors.
I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, LORD;
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me, says the Lord GOD.
and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.