Deuteronomy 21:6

Ver. 6. Shall wash their hands— In testimony of their innocence. See the following verses, Psalms 26:6 and Matthew 27:24. It is supposed by many, that the words in the next verses are spoken by the priests: there seems as much reason to believe that they were spoken by the elders. A learned Jewish writer, Chazkuni, says, that they who washed their hands used these words: "As our hands are now clean, so are we innocent of the blood which has been shed." Wagenseil is of opinion, that Pilate alluded to this ceremony when he washed his hands, and declared himself innocent of the blood of Jesus. It is, however, more probable, that Pilate used this as a general and well-known ceremony, expressive of innocence: nevertheless, he grossly abused it; since nothing could authorise or exculpate him from the guilt of condemning an innocent person.