Chesed is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Chesed was one of the sons of Nahor, who was the brother of Abraham. He is named in Genesis 22:22, in a genealogy listing the children born to Nahor and his wife Milcah. The passage reads, “And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” Chesed appears in the middle of this list of eight sons, with no further description, action, or dialogue attributed to him anywhere in Scripture.
The setting of this genealogy is significant within the broader narrative of Genesis. Genesis 22 recounts the testing of Abraham’s faith through the near-sacrifice of Isaac, and the chapter closes by turning attention to the family line of Abraham’s brother Nahor. This list of Nahor’s sons, including Chesed, establishes the extended family from which a wife would later be sought for Isaac. In Genesis 24, Abraham sends his servant back to this very family to find a wife for his son, and Bethuel—named alongside Chesed in this list—becomes the father of Rebekah.
Beyond his inclusion in this single genealogical record, Scripture says nothing about Chesed. He did not perform any recorded deed, receive any divine promise, or play any active role in the biblical story. He is known only as a son of Nahor, a member of the household from which God would provide a bride for the child of promise. His brief mention reminds us that the biblical narrative often names ordinary people whose lives form the quiet backdrop to God’s larger purposes.
The Name
The name Chesed is closely related to the Hebrew word *chesed* (חֶסֶד), which is widely translated as “kindness,” “mercy,” “lovingkindness,” or “steadfast love,” and which appears frequently throughout the Old Testament to describe God’s covenant faithfulness. The source note above associates this name with kindness or mercy. Because the name corresponds so directly to a well-attested Hebrew word with a settled meaning, its sense is generally regarded as established rather than obscure. It is worth noting, however, that Scripture itself offers no interpretation of the name and attaches no comment to it.
A Closing Thought
Chesed’s name means lovingkindness, yet the man himself passes through Scripture in a single line, unknown and unremembered by the world. There is something quietly comforting in that. Most of us will not be heroes of the story; we will be names in a family line, faithful in ordinary places. Yet Chesed belonged to the household through which God provided Rebekah and preserved His promise. God’s great purposes are carried along by countless ordinary lives, and a name that means mercy is no small legacy to leave behind.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Genesis 22:22 — And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.