Checed

A. Noun.

Checed, Strong's #2617 - means: "loving-kindness; steadfast love; grace; mercy; faithfulness; goodness; devotion."

This word is used 240 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and is especially frequent in the Book of Psalms. The term is one of the most important in the vocabulary of Hebrew Scriptures theology and ethics. The Septuagint nearly always renders checed with eleos ("mercy"), and that usage is reflected in the New Covenant Scriptures.

In contrast, today's modern translations generally prefer renditions close to the word "grace." The KJV usually has "mercy," although "loving-kindness" (following Coverdale), "favor," and other translations also occur. In the RSV generally prefers "steadfast love." Whereas the NIV often offers simply "love."

Adah Guzman translates the word "Checed" as: "God's unfailing loving-kindness towards us."

I like that and feel it captures the heart of the word.

"For God's unfailing loving-kindness towards mankind is such that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." John 3:16-17 AGI