וְ/חֶ֖סֶד
𐤅/𐤇𐤎𐤃
chêçêd
but mercy
A quality of steadfast, loyal love anchored in covenantal relationship, often involving acts of kindness, generosity, and reliability between parties. Also denotes unwavering commitment, faithfulness, and benevolence, especially shown by a superior towards an inferior, or reciprocally within communities. In reference to the deity of Israel, describes persistent faithfulness and benevolence towards the people of Israel. Secondary senses may include favor, goodwill, and, in rare poetic usage, the quality of being admirable or beautiful.
Proverbs 14:34 · Word #4
Lexicon H2617
| Lemma | חֵסֵד |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤇𐤎𐤃 |
| Transliteration | chêçêd |
| Strong's | H2617 |
| Definition | A quality of steadfast, loyal love anchored in covenantal relationship, often involving acts of kindness, generosity, and reliability between parties. Also denotes unwavering commitment, faithfulness, and benevolence, especially shown by a superior towards an inferior, or reciprocally within communities. In reference to the deity of Israel, describes persistent faithfulness and benevolence towards the people of Israel. Secondary senses may include favor, goodwill, and, in rare poetic usage, the quality of being admirable or beautiful. |
Morphology HC/Ncmsc
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
Common Translation
| Phrase | but mercy |
SIBI-P1 Translation H2617-36
steadfast covenant loyalty
| Morphological Notes | Noun, masculine singular, absolute state. |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun חֵסֶד denotes the enduring quality of loyal, covenant-anchored love and reliability. "Steadfast covenant loyalty" preserves the root idea of faithful, committed kindness while reflecting the masculine singular absolute form as an abstract quality. |
View full lexicon entry for H2617 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
and steadfast love
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Standardized from "but steadfast covenant loyalty". |