Hesed (loving kindness) — Meaning in the Bible
A Hebrew word for loyal, committed love and kindness, especially God's faithful love to his people. English versions translate it many ways.
Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
What it means
God describes himself as abundant in hesed. The psalms repeat "his loving kindness endures forever". Exodus 34:6–7Psalm 136:1
People show hesed too: Ruth's loyalty to Naomi and Boaz is called kindness, and Micah calls Israel to "love mercy" (hesed). Ruth 3:10Micah 6:8
Key passages
- Exodus 34:6–7 — Abundant in loving kindness.
- Ruth 1:8 — Naomi blesses her daughters-in-law.
- Ruth 3:10 — Ruth's kindness.
- Psalm 136 — His loving kindness endures forever.
- Lamentations 3:22 — The LORD's loving kindnesses never cease.
Original language
חֶ֫סֶד che.sed
Hebrew · Strong’s H2617a · gloss: “kindness”
The Hebrew word chesed (often written hesed). Psalm 136:1
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
How translations differ
- The WEB usually writes "loving kindness"; other versions have "steadfast love", "mercy", "kindness", "unfailing love" or "faithful love" for the same word. Psalm 136:1Micah 6:8