⁶ Then in the presence of the priests, have those city elders wash their hands over the heifer’s corpse and take an oath: ⁷ “Our hands didn’t shed this blood, and our eyes never saw who did. ⁸ Eternal, please cover the wickedness of Your people Israel, the ones You delivered from slavery. Please don’t consider your people Israel guilty of shedding innocent blood!” If this ceremony is performed, that city will be forgiven for the blood that was shed near it.