hesed
חֶסֶד
Steadfast love; covenant loyalty; mercy.
Technical Meaning
The covenant love of God: loyalty that binds itself by promise and acts in mercy. It is the word of Exodus 34:6 and of the Psalms' refrains, and no single English word carries it.
More Hebrew Terms
- emet — Firmness; faithfulness; truth.
- mashiach — Anointed one.
- mitzvot — Commandments.
- ruach — Breath; wind; spirit.
- torah — Instruction; direction; law.
Related Across the Site
- emet Glossary Term — Firmness; faithfulness; truth.
- mashiach Glossary Term — Anointed one.
- ruach Glossary Term — Breath; wind; spirit.
- Biblical Hebrew Language — The original language of the Hebrew Bible, preserved in the square script with Tiberian vocalization, and still the language of Jewish prayer.
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- St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology Library — An open-access, multi-author theological reference with advanced articles on Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
- Judaism World View — Judaism is the covenant faith of the people of Israel: one God chose them, gave them his Torah, and calls them to holiness and justice in this world.
- The Catholic World View World View — Catholic Christianity confesses one triune God and receives his revelation through Scripture and Tradition, guarded by the Church Christ founded and its apostolic teaching office.