Ḥesed: The Covenant Kindness That Changes Everything. If the Book of Ruth has a heartbeat, it is ḥesed (חֶסֶד). This Hebrew word—translated as “lovingkindness,” “steadfast love,” or “mercy”—is far more than emotion. It is the covenant DNA of God’s character, the glue of grace that holds every act of redemption from Genesis to Revelation.