Deuteronomy 21:4

JPS-1917

וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל׃

And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which may neither be plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.

— Deuteronomy 21:4, JPS 1917

Cite This Verse

Deuteronomy 21:4 (JPS 1917).

"Deuteronomy 21:4." JPS 1917. Web.

Deuteronomy 21:4, JPS 1917.

Rashi Commentary

Rashi — Deuteronomy 21:4
אל נחל איתן. קָשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶעֱבַד: וערפו. קוֹצֵץ עָרְפָּהּ בְּקוֹפִיץ; אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה תָּבֹא עֶגְלָה בַת שְׁנָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא עָשְׂתָה פֵרוֹת וְתֵעָרֵף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, לְכַפֵּר עַל הֲרִיגָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחוּהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת (סוטה מ"ו):

אל נחל איתן UNTO A VALLEY WHICH IS איתן — which is hard; i.e. one that has never been tilled (Sifrei Devarim 207:2; Sotah 45b). וערפו AND THEY SHALL STRIKE OFF [THE HEIFER’S] NECK — i.e. one breaks its neck with a hatchet. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, as it were, Let a heifer which is only one year old and which therefore has brought forth no fruits (no offspring) have its neck broken at a spot (the untilled valley) which has not brought forth fruits, to expiate for the murder of him whom they did not permit further to beget children (Sotah 46a).

Other Translations

MASORETIC

וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל׃

KOREN

and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a rough ravine, which is neither ploughed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the ravine: