hesed — lovingkindness, steadfast love
Covenant loyalty; appears 248× in the OT — most often of God.
Pillars that use H2617 (3)
Love
English uses one word — love — where the Bible uses several. The Greek New Testament distinguishes self-giving agape from affectionate phileo and natural family love. The Hebrew Old Testament adds hesed, the covenant love of God that never lets go.
Mercy
Mercy is compassion in action — withholding deserved judgment and giving undeserved care. The Hebrew racham comes from the word for womb: a parent's gut-level tenderness. The Greek eleos is the cry of the blind man and the heart of God.
Covenant
A covenant is a binding bond — God committing Himself to His people by oath. From Noah to Christ, every redemptive milestone is a covenant moment.
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