H2617a H2617a
Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love, mercy, kindness; God's loyal love toward his people and human kindness between persons.
Chesed is arguably the most theologically weighty noun in the Hebrew Bible — and one of the hardest to translate into any single word. Its semantic range stretches from God's unshakable covenant commitment to Israel, through interpersonal acts of loyal kindness, all the way to tender mercy and compassion. The difficulty is visible in how languages struggle with it: Arabic splits the range between rahma ('mercy') and wafa' ('loyalty'), Korean toggles between 인자하심 ('benevolent kindness') and 사랑 ('love'), while Swahili moves between uaminifu ('faithfulness'), fadhili ('kindness'), and huruma ('mercy'). No single translation captures the whole. The word's power lies precisely in this fusion: God's love is faithful, his faithfulness is kind, and his kindness is covenantally committed.
1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love — The dominant theological sense: God's enduring, covenant-rooted faithful love toward his people — 167 of 249 occurrences. This is the chesed of the Psalms' great refrain ki le'olam chasdo ('for his steadfast love endures forever,' Ps 136). It combines loyalty, love, and reliability in a way no single target-language word captures. Spanish misericordia, German Gnade, and French bonté each catch a facet but miss the covenantal backbone that Korean 인자하심 and Arabic rahma attempt to convey. 167×
AR["رَحمَتُهُ","رَحْمَتَهُ","رَحْمَتُهُ"]·ben["তাঁর-চিরস্থায়ী-প্রেম","তাঁর-দয়া","তাঁর-বিশ্বস্ততা","প্রেম-তাঁর।"]·DE["sein-Gnade"]·EN["His-steadfast-love","his-steadfast-love"]·FR["sa-bonté"]·heb["חסדו"]·HI["उसकी-करुणा","उसकी-कृपा","उसकी-दया","खस्दो"]·ID["kasih-setia-Nya"]·IT["la-sua-benignita'"]·jav["sih-kasetyanipun","sih-katresnan-ipun","sih-rahmat-ipun","sih-rahmaté","sih-setyanipun"]·KO["그-의-사랑-이","그-의-인자하심-이","그-의-인자하심이로다","그-의-인자함-과","그-의-인자함-이"]·PT["Sua-misericórdia","a-sua-misericórdia","de-sua-misericórdia","sua-misericórdia","é-Sua-misericórdia","é-a-sua-misericórdia","é-sua-misericórdia"]·RU["милость-Его","милость-Свою"]·ES["misericordia-de-el","su-bondad","su-misericordia"]·SW["fadhili-yake","fadhili-zake","ulivyo-mkubwa","upendo-wake","upendo-wake-wa-kudumu"]·TR["sevgisi","sevgisini"]·urd["اس-کی-شفقت","اُس-کی-رحمت","اُس-کی-شفقت","اپنی-شفقت"]
Ps 5:7, Ps 6:4, Ps 69:13, Ps 77:8, Ps 85:7, Ps 86:13, Ps 88:11, Ps 92:2, Ps 94:18, Ps 98:3, Ps 100:5, Ps 103:11 (+38 more)
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
2. Kindness, goodness — Interpersonal kindness and benevolence between humans — 53 occurrences, concentrated in Genesis and the narrative books. Abraham asks Abimelech to 'deal kindly' (Gen 20:13); the spies promise Rahab chesed (Josh 2:12). Here the relational, horizontal dimension dominates over the vertical/divine. Arabic ihsan ('doing good to others') and Swahili wema ('goodness') both select human-to-human beneficence vocabulary, distinguishing this from God's covenantal faithfulness. 53×
AR["رَحمَةً","رَحْمَةً"]·ben["অনুগ্রহ","করুণা","দয়া","প্রেমময়-দয়া"]·DE["Gnade","Guete"]·EN["kindness","lovingkindness"]·FR["bonté"]·heb["חסד"]·HI["कृपा","दय","दया","दया।","भलाई","भलै"]·ID["belas-kasihan","dengan","kasih-setia","kebaikan","kesetiaan"]·IT["benignità"]·jav["kasetyan","kasih","kasih-setya","sih","sih-katresnan","sih-pitulungan","sih-rahmat"]·KO["인자-를","인자를","인자함과","인자함을","자비를"]·PT["benignidade","bondade","misericórdia"]·RU["милости","милость"]·ES["bondad","misericordia"]·SW["fadhili","huruma","upendo","utendo-wa-kila","wema"]·TR["iyilik"]·urd["احسان","بھلائی","رحم","شفقت","مہربانی"]
3. Loyal acts, covenant loyalties — Concrete plural acts or deeds of covenant faithfulness — 15 occurrences, always using the plural chasdim or construct chasde. Jacob acknowledges God's specific chasdim (Gen 32:11); Isaiah speaks of chasde David, the 'sure mercies of David' (Isa 55:3). The shift from abstract quality to countable historical acts is confirmed by Arabic's plural marahim and Korean's pluralized forms. Found especially in Chronicles' summaries of royal reigns (2 Chr 32:32; 35:26). 15×
AR["(رَحْمَاتِهِ)","بِرَحْمَاتِ","رَحمات","رَحماتِكَ","رَحماتِهِ","رَحمَاتِ","رَحَمَاتِ","رَحْمَاتُ","رَحْمَاتُكَ","مَرَاحِمَ","مَرَاحِمَكَ","مَرَاحِمِهِ","مَرَاحِمِي","وَ-مَرَاحِمُهُ"]·ben["(তাঁর-দয়াগুলি)","আপনার-দয়া","আমার-মঙ্গলের","ও-তাঁর-ভক্তি","ও-তাঁর-মঙ্গলকর্ম","চিরস্থায়ী-প্রেমগুলি","তাঁর-চিরস্থায়ী-প্রেমগুলি","তাঁর-বিশ্বস্ত-প্রেমের","তোমার-চিরস্থায়ী-প্রেমের","তোমার-বিশ্বস্ত-প্রেমগুলি","দয়াগুলি","দয়ার-প্রতি","বিশ্বস্ত-প্রেম","বিশ্বস্ত-প্রেমের"]·DE["Gnade","Guete","dein-Gnade","der-Gnade-","und-Gnade"]·EN["(His-steadfast-love)","(of-His-covenant-loyalties)","His-lovingkindnesses","The-covenant-loyalties","The-lovingkindnesses-of","Your-steadfast-love","and-his-loyal-acts","lovingkindnesses-of","my-loyal-deeds","the-lovingkindnesses-of","the-steadfast-love-of","the-steadfast-loves-of","your-steadfast-love","your-steadfast-loves"]·FR["bonté","et-bonté","mes-bontés"]·heb["(חסדיו)","ו-חסד-ו","חסד-י","חסדי","חסדיו","חסדיך","ל-חסד"]·HI["अपनी-कृपा","अपनी-कृपाओं-की","उसकी-कृपाओं","और-उसकी-भक्ति","और-उसकी-भक्तियाँ","करुणा","कृपा","कृपा-अपनी","कृपाएँ","कृपाएं","कृपाओं-को","के-लिए-कृपाओं","तेरी-कृपाओं-की","तेरी-पहली-करुणा"]·ID["(kasih-setia-Nya)","Kasih-setia","dan-perbuatan-perbuatan-baiknya","kasih-setia","kasih-setia-Mu","kasih-setia-Nya","perbuatan-perbuatan-baikku"]·IT["benignita","benignita'","bontà","e-bontà","le-benignita'-di"]·jav["Sih-katresnan","Sih-rahmat","Sih-setyanipun","kasaenan-kawula","lan-kasaenanipun","lan-kasaenanné","sih-kadarmàn-Panjenengan","sih-kasetyan","sih-kasetyan-Panjenengan","sih-kasetyanipun","sih-katresnan-ipun","sih-rahmat","sih-rahmat-nipun","sih-rahmatè","sih-setya-Panjenengan"]·KO["그-사랑들-의","그-의-인자하심들-을","그리고-그의-선행들","그의-사랑의","나의-인자함들을","당신-의-인자들-이","당신-의-인자하심-의","사랑들-이라","사랑들을","에게-인자들의","인자들-을","인자하심들-을","인자함을-"]·PT["(Suas-misericórdias)","As-misericórdias-de","Bondades-de","Misericórdias-de","as-misericórdias","as-tuas-misericórdias","bondades-de","bondades-suas","das-bondades-de","de-Sua-misericórdia","de-Tuas-misericórdias","e-suas-bondades","minhas-bondades","tua-bondade"]·RU["(милостей-Своих)","Милости","и-благодеяния-его","и-благочестие-его","милостей-Своих","милостей-Твоих","милости","милости-","милости-Твои","милости-мои"]·ES["(sus-misericordias)","Las-misericordias-de","Misericordias-de","bondades-de","las-misericordias-de","misericordias-de-mí","misericordias-de-ti","sus-bondades","sus-misericordias","tus-misericordias","y-sus-bondades"]·SW["Fadhili-za","fadhili","fadhili-za-","fadhili-zake","fadhili-zako","huruma","huruma-za","huruma-zake","huruma-zako","upendo-wako","wa-fadhili-zake","wachasadayw","wema-wangu"]·TR["(sadakatleri-onun)","(sevgilerinin)","Sadakatleri","Sadakatlerini-","iyiliklerimi","iyiliklerinin","sadakatleri-","sadakatlerini","sadakatlerinin","sevgileri","sevgilerin","sevgilerini","sevgilerinin","ve-iyilikleri"]·urd["اور-اُس-کی-بھلائیاں","اور-اُس-کی-نیکیاں","اُس-کی-شفقتوں","اپنی-رحمتوں-کی","اپنی-رحمتوں-کے","اپنی-شفقت-کو","بھلائیوں","تیری-رحمتیں","تیری-شفقتوں-کی","رحمتوں","رحمتیں","شفقتوں-کو","شفقتیں"]
2 Chr 6:42, 2 Chr 32:32, 2 Chr 35:26, Neh 13:14, Ps 17:7, Ps 89:1, Ps 89:49, Ps 106:7, Ps 106:45, Ps 107:43, Isa 55:3, Isa 63:7 (+3 more)
4. Mercy, compassion — The compassionate, mercy-focused dimension of chesed — 7 occurrences where the context foregrounds emotional tenderness and pity toward those in distress. In 1 Kgs 20:31 the Arameans appeal to Israel's kings as 'merciful kings'; in Lam 3:32 God's chesed follows his affliction. French miséricorde and Arabic rahma (with emphasis on womb-compassion) surface here rather than the loyalty/faithfulness vocabulary used elsewhere. 7×
AR["[رَحْمَتِهِ]","إحْسانٍ","الرَّحْمَةَ","بِالرَّحْمَةِ","رَحْمَة","رَحْمَةٍ"]·ben["[তাঁর-দয়া]","করুণা","দয়া","দয়ায়-","দয়ার"]·DE["Gnade","Guete"]·EN["[his-lovingkindness]","kindness","mercy"]·FR["bonté","miséricorde"]·heb["חסד","חסדו"]·HI["करुणा-का","करुणा-में","दया","दया-के","दयालु"]·ID["[kasih-setia-Nya]","kasih-setia","kerahiman","kesetiaan","yang-murah-hati"]·IT["benignita","benignità","bontà","misericordia"]·jav["kang-welas-asih","sih-kawelasan","sih-palimirma","sih-rahmat","sih-rahmat-nipun"]·KO["은혜를","인자-를","인자하심","인자한","인자함","케티브"]·PT["[Sua-misericórdia]","bondade","e-humildemente","misericórdia"]·RU["[милости-Своей]","милосердие","милосердия","милости","милость"]·ES["[su-misericordia]","misericordia"]·SW["fadhili","huruma","mwenye-huruma","rehema","wa-fadhili-zake"]·TR["[sadakati-onun]","iyilik","iyilikte-o","iyiliği","merhamet","sadakat"]·urd["اپنی-رحمتوں","رحم","رحمت","رحمدل","شفقت","شفقت-سے"]
5. Devotion, loyalty — Human devotion and covenantal loyalty between persons — 5 occurrences emphasizing fidelity and steadfast commitment in personal relationships. Ruth's chesed toward Naomi (Ruth 3:10), Jonathan's appeal for chesed from David (1 Sam 20:15), and Jeremiah's nostalgic 'the chesed of your youth' (Jer 2:2) all center on human-to-human pledged loyalty. Arabic mahabbat ('committed love') and Swahili uaminifu ('faithfulness') mark the loyalty axis here, distinct from sense 2's broader kindness. 5×
AR["رَحْمَةُ","رَحْمَتَكَ","رَحْمَتَهُمْ","رَحْمَتِهِ","مَحَبَّةَ"]·ben["তাদের-স্থায়ী-প্রেম","তার-দয়া","তোমার-দয়া","দয়া"]·DE["Gnade","Gnade-","Guete","Guete-dein","seine-Gnade"]·EN["its-steadfast-love","kindness-your","lovingkindness-of","the-devotion","their-loyalty"]·FR["bonté","bonté-ton","sa-bonté"]·heb["חסד","חסד-ך","חסדו","חסדם"]·HI["अपनी-कृपा","करुणा","कृपा-उसकी","तेरि-दय"]·ID["kasih-setia","kasih-setia-mereka","kasih-setiamu","kesetiaannya"]·IT["benignita","benignita'","benignità","benignità-tuo","la-sua-benignita"]·jav["kasetyanipun","sih-rahmat","sih-rahmat-panjenengan","sih-setya"]·KO["그들의-인자-를","그의-아름다움은","네-인자를","사랑-을","인자-하심-은"]·PT["benignidade-dela","bondade-de","misericórdia-de","misericórdia-deles","tua-misericórdia"]·RU["милость","милость-её","милость-свою","милость-твою"]·ES["bondad-tuya","la-bondad-de","misericordia-de","su-bondad","su-misericordia"]·SW["upendo","upendo-wa-agano","upendo-wako","uzuri-wake","wema-wao"]·TR["iyiliği-onların","iyiliğini","sadakati","şefkatini"]·urd["اُس-کی-رونق","اپنی-شفقت","شفقت"]
6. Favor, grace — Favorable regard or grace — only 2 occurrences, both in diaspora court settings. Esther finds chesed before the king's officer (Esth 2:9); Daniel finds chesed before his Babylonian overseer (Dan 1:9). The context is closer to 'favor' or 'grace' than to covenantal love, and Arabic huzwa/ni'ma ('favor, grace') and Swahili neema ('unmerited favor') confirm this as a distinct peripheral sense. 2×
AR["حُظْوَةً","لِ-نِعْمَةٍ"]·ben["-অনুগ্রহ","অনুগ্রহ"]·DE["Gnade","Guete"]·EN["favor","to-favor"]·FR["bonté"]·heb["חסד","ל-חסד"]·HI["कृपा","के-लिए-कृपा"]·ID["kasih-karunia","untuk-kemurahan"]·IT["a-benignità","bontà"]·jav["kangge-sih-pitulungan","sih"]·KO["에-은혜","은혜를"]·PT["favor","para-graça"]·RU["к-милости","милость"]·ES["gracia","para-favor"]·SW["fadhila","kwa-fadhili"]·TR["iyiliğe","lütuf"]·urd["مہربانی","میں-مہربانی"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)H6664 1. righteousness, justice (116×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)G1343 1. (92×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. חֶ֫סֶד247 n.m. 2 S 16:17 goodness, kindness;—abs. ח׳ Gn 24:12 + 85 times; חָ֑סֶד Gn 39:21 + 12 times; cstr. חֶסֶד 1 S 20:14 + 8 times; sf. חַסְדִּי ψ 59:18 + 120 times sfs.; pl. חֲסָדִים Gn 32:11; cstr. חַסְדֵי Is 55:3 + 5 times (BaerJes p. 79 Ges§ 93, R. 1 F.); sf. חֲסָדַי Ne 13:14 + 10 times sfs.; (not in H or P). I. of man: 1. kindness of men towards men, in doing favours and benefits 1 S…