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Summary
- The priestly blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 can be prayed over a family as “us”; the 1928 Book of Common Prayer ends its evening family prayer with it in that form.
- Jewish parents bless their children on the Sabbath eve and on holidays with Jacob’s words from Genesis 48:20 and then the priestly blessing.
- Two silver amulets from Ketef Hinnom in Jerusalem, dated to the sixth century BC, carry a version of the priestly blessing and are the oldest known copies of biblical text.
- Traditional protection prayers include the Prayer Book’s morning and night prayers for families, the Catholic Compline prayer “Visit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this habitation,” and a Catholic prayer to defend a family “from all adversity.”
- Eleven short prayers cover leaving the house, bedtime, protection from evil, a relative far away, health, daily bread, peace at home, family decisions, the head of the family, the children’s faith and a family in crisis.
- Psalm 121 promises that God “shall preserve thee from all evil,” and Psalm 91 that no plague shall “come nigh thy dwelling”; Catholics bless homes at Epiphany with chalked initials over the door, and Orthodox priests bless homes with holy water at Theophany.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (1611), text of Project Gutenberg eBook no. 10 (Genesis 28:15; 48:20; Numbers 6:23–27; Deuteronomy 6:7; Job 1:4–5, 9–10; Psalm 4:8; 46:1; 68:6; 91:10–11; 119:105; 121:1–8; Malachi 4:6; Matthew 6:11, 13; Luke 10:5; John 17:15; Ephesians 4:26; 2 Timothy 1:5). https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10
- The Book of Common Prayer (Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.), Standard Book of 1928. Evening Prayer, “A Collect for Aid against Perils,” p. 31; The Order for the Visitation of the Sick, opening greeting, p. 308; Family Prayer, evening “Prayer for God’s Protection through the Night following,” p. 591; A Shorter Form, Morning (collect and closing grace), p. 592, and Evening, p. 593; “For Those We Love,” p. 597; “For a Blessing on the Families of the Land,” p. 598; “Grace before Meat,” p. 600. PDF facsimile: https://www.artisticdailyprayers.org/uploads/3/0/1/6/30164961/bcp1928std.pdf
- A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity, prepared and published by order of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore. New York: Catholic Publication Society, 1888. Evening Prayers (Compline), Psalm 90 and “Visit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this habitation,” pp. 71–75; Occasional Prayers, “For a Congregation or Family,” p. 165; The Blessing of Children, “Defend, we beseech Thee, O Lord,” p. 243. https://archive.org/details/AManualOfPrayers1888
- The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. “‘Priestly Benediction’ on amulets.” Ketef Hinnom, 6th century BCE, IAA 1980-1495, 1980-1496. https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/198069-0
- Union for Reform Judaism. “Shabbat and Holiday Blessings: Blessing over Children.” ReformJudaism.org. https://reformjudaism.org/beliefs-practices/prayers-blessings/shabbat-and-holiday-blessings-blessing-over-children
- Diocese of Madison. “Bless Your Home for the Epiphany.” 29 December 2025. https://madisondiocese.org/news/epiphanyblessing
- Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. “The Prayer for the Blessing of Homes at Theophany.” https://www.goarch.org/-/the-prayer-for-the-blessing-of-homes-at-theophany
- Annunciation Orthodox Christian Church (Orthodox Church in America), St. James, Missouri. “Blessing of Homes at Theophany.” https://annunciationoca.org/blessing-of-homes-at-theophany/
- National Domestic Violence Hotline. https://www.thehotline.org/
- Refuge. National Domestic Abuse Helpline. https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
- UK Government, Home Office. “Domestic abuse: how to get help” (helplines by nation). https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
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