Welcome to the Noble Bereans Podcast, where our goal is to inspire believers to eagerly receive the word and examine the scriptures daily. I’m your host, Steve Sanders. Today's episode idea came to me when I read Hosea 6:6 a few days ago.

One of the more interesting Hebrew words in the Old Testament is hesed. This word has captured my attention lately, and the more I study it, the more intrigued I become.

Let me share Hosea 6:6 and Matthew 9:13, both from the Lexham English Bible:

Hosea 6:6 (LEB) Because I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13 (LEB) But go and learn what this means: “I want mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

In Hosea, the word hesed is translated as “steadfast love,” but in Matthew, Jesus uses a Greek word that means “mercy.” You can learn more about this in a recent blog post on NobleBereans.com. Today, however, I want to focus on understanding what the word hesed means.

For this study, I started with the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (TDOT), where I learned a lot.

First, I learned that hesed has a lot to do with human interaction. This doesn’t mean that God isn’t involved though – He certainly is! In fact, we see a very specific phrase in scripture. Psalms 107:1 is a good example: Give thanks to Adonai, for He is good, for His hesed is forever.

Hesed involves relationships. This can be the relationship between two parties, including relatives, hosts and guests, friends, or between a sovereign and their subjects. This is a very important point – it is a relational concept.

It is also expected to be responded to in a similar fashion. In fact, the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says one definition of hesed is the “mutual liability of those belonging to each other.”

Another aspect of hesed is that it involves action. This reminds me of James 2:15-17: If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but does not give them what is necessary for the body, what is the benefit? Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

Followers of God are expected to show hesed to the poor and needy. Those who steadfastly practice this find favor with God and man. It is also said that hesed might most appropriately be translated as goodness, grace, or kindness. You could almost say that it means “Do good things for others.” This reminds me of The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

As we wrap up today, how does understanding the fullness of the word hesed, at least as far as we’ve discussed it, change your view of the statement in the Bible, “I desire hesed (mercy, steadfast love, or lovingkindness), not sacrifice”?

There is a lot to dig into here, and it’s changing my thoughts on some things. Be on the lookout for more as I continue to share what I’m learning.

Join us again for our next episode, and if you liked what you heard today, consider sharing it with a friend. Also, be sure to check out noblebereans.com, where you can find links to all our material, including videos, blog posts, and more.

May you find many opportunities to reflect the glory of God into this world, and may He multiply your good works in His name. Now, go out there and show the world what a great God we serve!