1 Chronicles 16:22
New International Version
“Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

New Living Translation
“Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”

English Standard Version
saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!”

Berean Standard Bible
‘Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!’

King James Bible
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

New King James Version
Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

New American Standard Bible
“Do not touch My anointed ones, And do not harm My prophets.”

NASB 1995
“Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

NASB 1977
“Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Do not touch My anointed ones, And against My prophets do no evil.”

Amplified Bible
“Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Do not touch my anointed ones or harm my prophets.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not touch My anointed ones or harm My prophets.”

American Standard Version
Saying, Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm.

Contemporary English Version
and telling them, "Don't touch my chosen leaders or harm my prophets!"

English Revised Version
Saying, Touch not mine anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
'Do not touch my anointed ones or harm my prophets.'

Good News Translation
"Don't harm my chosen servants; do not touch my prophets."

International Standard Version
"Don't touch my chosen ones, and don't hurt my prophets!"

Majority Standard Bible
?Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!?

NET Bible
saying, "Don't touch my anointed ones! Don't harm my prophets!"

New Heart English Bible
"Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm."

Webster's Bible Translation
Saying, Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

World English Bible
“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not come against My anointed ones, "" And do no evil against My prophets.

Young's Literal Translation
Come not against Mine anointed ones, And against My prophets do not evil.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall not touch upon my Messiah, and upon my prophets ye shall not do evil.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Touch not my anointed: and do no evil to my prophets.

Catholic Public Domain Version
‘Do not touch my Christ. And do not malign my prophets.’

New American Bible
“Do not touch my anointed, to my prophets do no harm.”

New Revised Standard Version
saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Saying, Touch not my anointed ones and do my prophets no harm.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to them: ‘You shall not touch my Anointed Ones, and to my Prophets you shall not do evil.’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Touch not Mine anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
saying, Touch not my anointed ones, and deal not wrongfully with my prophets.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Psalm of Thanksgiving
21He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf: 22‘Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!’ 23Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation day after day.…

Cross References
Psalm 105:15
“Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!”

Genesis 20:3-7
One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.” / Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? / Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.” ...

Genesis 12:17
The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.

Genesis 26:11
So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”

Exodus 7:1-2
The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. / You are to speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land.

Numbers 12:6-8
He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. / But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. / I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

2 Kings 2:23-24
From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” / Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.

Zechariah 2:8
For 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—

Matthew 10:40-42
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. / Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. / And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Matthew 23:34-36
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. / And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. / Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Luke 10:16
Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

John 13:20
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

Acts 9:4-5
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” / “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.

Acts 5:38-39
So in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail. / But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

Romans 1:1-2
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— / the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,


Treasury of Scripture

Saying, Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

Touch

1 Kings 19:16
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

Psalm 105:15
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

1 John 2:27
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

prophets

Genesis 20:7
Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

Genesis 27:39,40
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; …

Genesis 48:19,20
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations…

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Anointed Evil Hand Harm Holy Marked Oil Ones Prophets Touch Wrong
1 Chronicles 16
1. David's festival sacrifice
4. He orders a choir to sing thanksgiving
7. The psalm of thanksgiving
37. He appoints ministers, porters, priests, and musicians, to attend the ark














Do not touch My anointed ones!
This phrase refers to God's chosen individuals, often kings or leaders, who were anointed with oil as a sign of their divine appointment and consecration. In the Old Testament, anointing was a physical act that symbolized the Holy Spirit's empowerment for a specific role or task. The anointed ones in this context primarily refer to the patriarchs and leaders of Israel, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were under God's special protection. The command not to "touch" them implies a prohibition against harming or interfering with God's plans for these individuals. This concept is echoed in the New Testament, where believers are considered anointed by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20, 27), indicating their set-apart status for God's purposes.

Do no harm to My prophets!
Prophets in the Old Testament were God's spokespersons, delivering His messages to the people. They often faced opposition and persecution because their messages called for repentance and warned of judgment. The command to do no harm underscores the sacredness of their role and the seriousness of opposing God's messengers. This protection of prophets is seen throughout Scripture, as God often intervened to protect them, such as Elijah being fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:4-6) or Elisha being surrounded by an army of angels (2 Kings 6:17). The ultimate fulfillment of the prophetic role is found in Jesus Christ, who is the Prophet, Priest, and King, bringing God's final revelation to humanity (Hebrews 1:1-2). This phrase also serves as a reminder of the respect and reverence due to those who faithfully proclaim God's Word.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The king of Israel who organized the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and led the people in worship and thanksgiving to God.

2. The Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, representing God's presence with His people.

3. The Levites
The tribe chosen to carry the Ark and lead worship, including Asaph and his brothers who were appointed to minister before the Ark.

4. The Anointed Ones
Refers to those chosen by God for a special purpose, such as kings and priests, including David himself.

5. The Prophets
God's messengers who were called to speak His words to the people, often facing opposition and danger.
Teaching Points
Respect for God's Chosen
Recognize and respect those whom God has appointed for leadership and ministry. This includes pastors, teachers, and other spiritual leaders.

God's Protection
Trust in God's protection over His people. He is faithful to guard those He has called for His purposes.

The Role of Prophets
Understand the importance of prophets in delivering God's message. Be open to hearing and discerning God's voice through His messengers.

Anointing in the New Covenant
As believers, we are all anointed by the Holy Spirit. Live in a way that honors this calling and reflects God's character.

Avoiding Harm
Be mindful of our actions and words towards others, especially those in spiritual leadership. Seek to build up rather than tear down.(22) Saying.--Omitted in the Hebrew, as in Psalm 2:6, and perhaps at the end of 1Chronicles 16:7, supra.

Mine anointed (ones).--Plural of Messiah. Abraham and Sarah were to be progenitors of kings (Genesis 17:16). (Comp. Genesis 23:6.)

My prophets.--Literally, do no harm against my prophets--a construction unparalleled elsewhere. Psalms 105 has the usual expression, "to my prophets." (See Genesis 12, 20, 26 for the passages of patriarchal history to which allusion is here made.)

We have now reached the first "seam" in this composite ode. Psalms 105 naturally continues its historic proof of Jehovah's faithfulness, by reference to the sojourn in Egypt, the Exodus, the wanderings, and the occupation of Canaan. Here, however, this train of thought is abruptly broken off, and a fresh start made in 1Chronicles 16:23 with Psalms 96. The author, or authors, who compiled this hymn of praise "strung together familiar psalms as a sort of mosaic, to give approximate expression to the festive strains and feelings of the day (Delitzsch). . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
‘Do not
אַֽל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

touch
תִּגְּעוּ֙ (tig·gə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

My anointed ones;
בִּמְשִׁיחָ֔י (bim·šî·ḥāy)
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4899: Anointed, a consecrated person, the Messiah

do no harm
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

to My prophets.’
וּבִנְבִיאַ֖י (ū·ḇin·ḇî·’ay)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 16:22 Saying Don't touch my anointed ones! (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 16:21
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