Hebrew · Strong's H2617
חֶסֶד
ḥesed (KHEH-sed)
noun, masculine
Steadfast covenant love — loyal, kind, enduring.
Chesed is notoriously hard to translate. The KJV renders it 'lovingkindness,' 'mercy,' 'goodness,' 'kindness'; the ASV often 'loving-kindness'; the WEB 'loving kindness.' It is the loyal, covenant-keeping love of God toward his people — the kind of love that goes beyond what is required, that keeps faith when the other party has broken it.
The entire Psalm 136 hinges on the refrain 'for his chesed endureth for ever.' Hosea names his daughter Lo-ruchamah ('not loved with chesed') as a sign of judgment, then promises restoration. The greek hesed of the New Testament is largely covered by charis (grace) and eleos (mercy).
Common English renderings
- lovingkindness
- steadfast love
- mercy
- kindness
- goodness
Key verses
"And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth; keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation."
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"Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever."
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"Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever."
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"It is of Jehovah’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness."
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"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
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Related words