There's a Hebrew word that runs through the book of Ruth like a golden thread: hesed. It's one of the richest words in the Old Testament, and one of the hardest to translate into a single English word.
The ESV often translates it as "steadfast love" or "kindness." Other translations use "loyal love," "lovingkindness," "covenant faithfulness," or "mercy." Each captures part of its meaning, but none captures all of it.
Understanding the hesed meaning opens up the whole book of Ruth. And more importantly, it shows us something beautiful about the heart of God.
What is hesed?
Hesed is love that is committed. It's love that keeps its promises. It goes beyond what is required, and it stays faithful even when it's costly.
Hesed isn't a feeling that comes and goes. It's a loyal, steady love rooted in commitment. In the Old Testament, it's closely connected to covenant, the binding relationship God established with his people. God's hesed is his faithfulness to that covenant, his refusal to give up on the people he has chosen.
It's the word God uses about himself when he passes before Moses on Mount Sinai:
The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Exodus 34:6
That phrase "steadfast love" is hesed. When God describes his own character, hesed is near the center.
The word appears more than 240 times in the Old Testament, and the Psalms use it again and again. Psalm 136 repeats the refrain "for his steadfast love endures forever" in all twenty-six verses.
Hesed in the book of Ruth
The word hesed appears at three key moments in Ruth:
Naomi blesses her daughters-in-law. As she urges Ruth and Orpah to return home, Naomi says, "May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me" (Ruth 1:8). "Deal kindly" is hesed. Naomi recognizes the loyal love her daughters-in-law have shown and asks God to show them the same.
Naomi praises God's kindness. When Ruth comes home from Boaz's field with a huge amount of grain and explains where she worked, Naomi says: "May he be blessed by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" (Ruth 2:20). After chapters of bitterness, Naomi begins to see God's hesed again.
Boaz praises Ruth's kindness. When Ruth asks Boaz to act as redeemer, he says, "You have made this last kindness greater than the first" (Ruth 3:10). Ruth's loyalty to Naomi and her family line is hesed.
So Ruth shows hesed by staying with Naomi and seeking to preserve her family. Boaz shows hesed by redeeming Ruth and Naomi's land and family line. And behind them both, God shows hesed by never abandoning his people.
Hesed goes beyond duty
One of the defining features of hesed is that it goes beyond what's required.
Ruth wasn't required to stay with Naomi. Naomi told her to go home. Orpah did, and no one condemned her for it. Ruth's loyalty went far beyond duty.
Boaz wasn't required to show Ruth extra kindness in the field or to marry her. He went beyond the letter of the law. He was generous because he was a man of hesed.
That's the difference between hesed and mere obligation. Obligation asks, "What's the least I have to do?" Hesed asks, "How can I be faithful and generous here?"
Human hesed reflects God's hesed
Ruth's loyalty to Naomi and Boaz's generosity toward Ruth are beautiful. But they're reflections of something greater. Their faithful love points to God's faithful love.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22–23
That "steadfast love" is hesed. It was written in one of the darkest moments in Israel's history, after Jerusalem had been destroyed. Even then, the writer could say God's hesed never ceases.
God's love for his people never runs out. It doesn't depend on our performance. It doesn't waver when we fail. It's rooted in his own faithful character and his covenant promises.
Hesed in your workplace and home
What would it look like to practice hesed in your everyday life? Here are a few ideas:
- Keep your word. Do what you said you would do, even when it's inconvenient. In a culture of broken commitments, faithfulness stands out.
- Stay loyal. Stick with people through hard seasons instead of drifting away when friendships or working relationships get difficult.
- Go beyond the minimum. Show kindness that isn't required: covering for a sick coworker, mentoring a new employee, checking in on a friend going through a hard time.
- Be faithful when no one notices. Hesed doesn't need applause. It's faithful in private as well as in public.
- Forgive. Hesed is closely connected to mercy. God's steadfast love includes forgiving our sins. Loyal love makes room for grace.
None of these come naturally to us. We tend toward self-interest. But as we experience God's hesed, it begins to shape us into people who reflect it.
The greatest hesed
The ultimate display of God's hesed is Jesus Christ.
He kept every promise God made. He went far beyond what anyone deserved, coming to save sinners who had rebelled against him. He stayed faithful all the way to the cross. He paid the price to redeem his people, just as Boaz paid the price to redeem Naomi's land, but at an infinitely greater cost.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Ruth's story ends with a redeemer. Our story does, too. And because of Jesus, we can know God's hesed personally, not just as a word in a Bible study, but as the steady, faithful love that holds our lives.
Our study Ruth: Faithful in the Field traces God's hesed through all four chapters of Ruth over four weeks, about twelve minutes a day, with a reference page on hesed at the back. It's written for working women and costs $10 as an instant download.
Common questions
What does hesed mean?
Hesed is a Hebrew word for God's committed, covenant love. It's often translated "steadfast love," "kindness," or "lovingkindness," and describes love that is loyal, faithful, and generous.
Where does hesed appear in Ruth?
Hesed appears in Ruth 1:8, where Naomi asks the Lord to deal kindly with her daughters-in-law, in Ruth 2:20, where Naomi praises God's kindness, and in Ruth 3:10, where Boaz praises Ruth's kindness.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
