“Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
- KJV Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
- NKJV Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”
- NASB “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do not harm My prophets.”
- NLT “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God warns kings not to harm His chosen people, calling them His anointed and prophets. It matters because it shows God personally guards those He has set apart.
Overview
In the patriarchal period God restrained pagan rulers from harming Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12; 20; 26). The terms 'anointed' and 'prophets' describe the covenant family as set apart and entrusted with God's word. The verse displays God's sovereign protection of His people, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the true Anointed One through whom all the promises hold.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Zech 2:8For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
- Gen 26:11So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
- Gen 20:7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
- 1 Jn 2:27And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.
- Gen 49:8–33Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
- Gen 48:19–20But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
- Gen 27:39–40His father Isaac answered him: “Behold, your dwelling place shall be away from the richness of the land, away from the dew of heaven above.
- 1 Kgs 19:16You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 105:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.