Why does the Hebrew word "chesed" in Psalm 136 have two meanings?

Question

Psalm 136:23 & 24 use the same Hebrew word that is sometimes translated as "grace". The ESV uses "steadfast love" in those verses:

It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

—Psalm 136:23-24 (ESV)

I find analysis for "grace":

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon

word: חסד

Translitaration: checed kheh'-sed

Strongs code: 02617

etymology:

from 02616 ,Greek 964 βηθεσδα

word class: subst. (mask.)

number: 248

King James translation for word AV-mercy 149, kindness 40, lovingkindness 30, goodness 12, kindly 5, merciful 4, favour 3, good 1, goodliness 1, pity 1, reproach 1, wicked thing 1

meaning

1) goodness, kindness, faithfulness

2) a reproach, shame

Answer 1

The idea of "chesed" (חֶסֶד) in the Hebrew Bible not only includes the idea of lovingkindness, but also of discipline. Moses indicated that the Lord would discipline the Israelites "as a father to his son" in the following verses--

Deut 8:2-5 (NASB)
² You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. ³ He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. ⁴ Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. ⁵ Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. (emphasis added)

The narrative of Psalm 136:10-26 is in DIRECT parallel to Deut 8:1-10, which is an overview of the Israelites coming out of Egypt into the Promised Land. That is, both passages talk about the exodus from Egypt, the setbacks (divine discipline) and the subsequent victories over their enemies as they emerged victorious into the Promised Land, the abundance of nourishment and foodstuffs, and finally the blessings bestowed upon the Lord for all of his marvelous provisions.

In other words, "chesed" includes the idea of a father's discipline as part of the lovingkindness of the Lord. (Both Psalm 136:10-26 and Deut 8:1-10 are in DIRECT parallel, and therefore we make this connection.) This key now helps us to unlock two particularly difficult verses in the Hebrew Bible where "chesed" appears.

The first verse is Proverbs 14:34, for which the popular translation is as follows--

Proverbs 14:34 (NASB)
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.

If we use the key (that "chesed" has a secondary meaning of divine discipline), then we can translate the same verse as follows--

Proverbs 14:34 (Alternative Translation)
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
And reproof is the cleansing (or purification) for the people.

Here chatta'ah (חַטָּאת) = cleansing (or purification), and chesed (חֶסֶד) = reproof.

The other difficult verse is Leviticus 20:17, for which the popular translation is as follows--

Leviticus 20:17 (NASB)
¹⁷ If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.

The Hebrew word "chesed" is translated here as "disgrace." However, if we use the key (that "chesed" has a secondary meaning of divine discipline), then we can translate the same verse as follows--

Leviticus 20:17 (Alternative Translation)
¹⁷ If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, that is reproach (discipline); thus they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.

In summary, by recognizing Psalm 136:10-26 in DIRECT parallel to Deut 8:1-10, are we able to see that "chesed" has not only the general idea of lovingkindness, but also of discipline (as a father for his son). This secondary meaning of "chesed" therefore helps us better to understand and appreciate the meaning of Proverbs 14:34 and Leviticus 20:17, where this word occurs.

Finally, when we read Psalm 136:23-24, which is the passage that precipitated the original question of this posting, we see that the Lord, "who remembered us in our low estate" (Ps 136:23), had tendered their setback while entering the Promised Land (as a disciplining father per Deut 8:5), and therefore the Lord's "chesed" was twofold (discipline + lovingkindness). Also, we see that the Lord, "who has rescued us from our adversaries" (Ps 136:24), had tendered their setback while entering the Promised Land (as a disciplining father per Deut 8:5), and therefore the Lord's "chesed" was twofold (discipline + lovingkindness). We infer this connection between discipline (reproof) and lovingkindness, because this context is in DIRECT parallel with Deut 8:1-10.

Last but not least important, the Christian New Testament later picks up on this nuance of lovingkindness, and relates the Lord as the "loving father" who disciplines his sons in Hebrews 12:5-7.