“Messiah” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word that means “anointed,” or “anointed one.”
The Greek equivalent is “Christ,” although in the New Testament the word has become a unique designation for Jesus (i.e. “The Anointed One”).
Who are called “the anointed”
Saul
1 Sam 12:3 – Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
1 Sam 12:5 – And he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
1 Sam 24:6 – He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
1 Sam 24:10 – Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'
1 Sam 26:9 – But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"
1 Sam 26:11 – The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
1 Sam 26:16 – This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
1 Sam 26:23 – The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD's anointed.
2 Sam 1:14 – David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"
2 Sam 1:16 – And David said to him, "Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD's anointed.'"
David’s offspring
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
Ps 89:38 – But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
Ps 89:51 – with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.
Ps 132:10 – For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
Ps 132:17 – There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
Cf. Ps 132:11-12
Priest
Lev 4:3 – if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.
Lev 4:5 – And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting,
Lev 4:16 – Then the anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull into the tent of meeting,
Lev 6:22 – The priest from among Aaron's sons, who is anointed to succeed him, shall offer it to the LORD as decreed forever. The whole of it shall be burned.
King
1 Sam 2:10 – The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."
1 Sam 16:6 – When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
Ps 2:2 – The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
Cf. Ps 2:6
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
David
2 Sam 19:21 – Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"
2 Sam 22:51 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever."
2 Sam 23:1 – Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
Chosen people
1 Chr 16:22 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Ps 105:15 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Hab 3:13 – You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah [footnote text=“"The anointed" here could also be a reference to the king.”]
Cyrus
Isa 45:1 – Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
Shield
2 Sam 1:21 – "You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
God’s anointed
1 Sam 2:10 – The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."
1 Sam 2:35 – And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
1 Sam 12:3 – Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
1 Sam 12:5 – And he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
1 Sam 16:6 – When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
1 Sam 24:6 – He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
1 Sam 24:10 – Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'
1 Sam 26:9 – But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"
1 Sam 26:11 – The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
1 Sam 26:16 – This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
1 Sam 26:23 – The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD's anointed.
2 Sam 1:14 – David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"
2 Sam 1:16 – And David said to him, "Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD's anointed.'"
2 Sam 19:21 – Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"
2 Sam 22:51 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever."
2 Sam 23:1 – Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
1 Chr 16:22 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
2 Chr 6:42 – O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love for David your servant."
Ps 2:2 – The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
Ps 20:6 – Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.
Ps 28:8 – The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Ps 84:9 – Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
Ps 89:38 – But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
Ps 89:51 – with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.
Ps 105:15 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Ps 132:10 – For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
Ps 132:17 – There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
Isa 45:1 – Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
Lam 4:20 – The breath of our nostrils, the LORD's anointed, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations."
Hab 3:13 – You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah
Finding the Messiah
Jn 1:41 – He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).
What the Messiah will do
Jn 4:25 – The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things."
Words related grammatically to “anointed” (מָשִׁיחַ)
Subjects of "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ)
He, הוּא
1 Sam 24:6 – He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
1 Sam 24:10 – Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'
Verbs with "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ) as Subject
Cut, כָּרַת
Dan 9:26 – And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Verbs with "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ) as Object
Destroy, שָׁחַת
2 Sam 1:14 – David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"
Die, מוּת
2 Sam 1:16 – And David said to him, "Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD's anointed.'"
Be slight, קָלַל
2 Sam 19:21 – Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"
Help, יָשַׁע
Ps 20:6 – Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.
Verbs with "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ) as Indirect Object
Do, עָשָׂה
1 Sam 24:6 – He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
2 Sam 22:51 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever."
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
Send, שָׁלַח
1 Sam 26:9 – But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"
1 Sam 26:11 – The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
1 Sam 26:23 – The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD's anointed.
Touch, נָגַע
1 Chr 16:22 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Ps 105:15 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Keep, שָׁמַר
1 Sam 26:16 – This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
Found, יָסַד
Ps 2:2 – The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
Pass over, עָבַר
Ps 89:38 – But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
Arrange in order, עָרַךְ
Ps 132:17 – There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
Say, אָמַר
Isa 45:1 – Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
Predicate Complements of "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ)
Witness, עֵד
1 Sam 12:5 – And he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
Counterpart, נֶגֶד
1 Sam 16:6 – When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
Appositions with "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ)
Chief, נָגִיד
Dan 9:25 – Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Prepositions with "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ)
To, for, לְ
1 Sam 24:6 – He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
2 Sam 22:51 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever."
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
Ps 132:17 – There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
Isa 45:1 – Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
In, among, בְּ
1 Sam 26:9 – But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"
1 Sam 26:11 – The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
1 Sam 26:23 – The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD's anointed.
1 Chr 16:22 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Ps 105:15 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Above, עַל
1 Sam 26:16 – This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
Ps 2:2 – The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
Counterpart, נֶגֶד
1 Sam 12:3 – Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
Destruction, בְּלִי
2 Sam 1:21 – "You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
With, עִם
Ps 89:38 – But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
Unto, עַד
Dan 9:25 – Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
[object marker], אֵת
Hab 3:13 – You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah
… of "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ)
Face, לִפְנֵי
1 Sam 2:35 – And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
2 Chr 6:42 – O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love for David your servant."
Ps 84:9 – Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
Ps 132:10 – For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
Horn, קֶרֶן
1 Sam 2:10 – The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."
Salvation, יְשׁוּעָה
Ps 28:8 – The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Heel, עָקֵב
Ps 89:51 – with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.
"Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ) of …
Him
1 Sam 2:10 – The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."
1 Sam 12:3 – Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
1 Sam 12:5 – And he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
1 Sam 16:6 – When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
2 Sam 22:51 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever."
Ps 2:2 – The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
Ps 18:50 – Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
Ps 20:6 – Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.
Ps 28:8 – The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Isa 45:1 – Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
YHWH, יהוה
1 Sam 24:10 – Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'
1 Sam 26:9 – But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"
1 Sam 26:11 – The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
1 Sam 26:16 – This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jar of water that was at his head."
1 Sam 26:23 – The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD's anointed.
2 Sam 1:14 – David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"
2 Sam 1:16 – And David said to him, "Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD's anointed.'"
2 Sam 19:21 – Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"
Lam 4:20 – The breath of our nostrils, the LORD's anointed, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations."
You
2 Chr 6:42 – O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love for David your servant."
Ps 84:9 – Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
Ps 89:38 – But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
Ps 89:51 – with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.
Ps 132:10 – For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
Hab 3:13 – You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah
I
1 Sam 2:35 – And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
1 Chr 16:22 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Ps 105:15 – saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
Ps 132:17 – There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
YHWH, יהוה
1 Sam 24:6 – He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
God/god(s), אֱלֹהִים
2 Sam 23:1 – Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
… and "Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ)
YHWH, יהוה
1 Sam 12:3 – Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
Ps 2:2 – The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
"Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ) and …
Pleasant, נָעִים
2 Sam 23:1 – Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
"Anointed" (מָשִׁיחַ) as Adjunct of …
Priest, כֹּהֵן
Lev 4:3 – if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.
Lev 4:5 – And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting,
Lev 4:16 – Then the anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull into the tent of meeting,