This verse continues from the previous verse; but see Good News Translation as an example of beginning a new sentence here: “Do this, so that innocent people….”

Lest innocent blood be shed: that is, “so that innocent people will not be put to death.” If the phrase innocent blood is normally used in a language to indicate an innocent person who has been killed, it may be used; otherwise the meaning should be made clear. The killing here is an execution; that is why “be put to death” or its equivalent should be used.

The guilt of bloodshed be upon you: the whole nation would be guilty of having put to death an innocent person. Contemporary English Version makes this clear with “You will be guilty of murder if innocent people lose their lives.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .