The subject of this page is the word love specifically in Hebrew חֶסֶד hesed or chesed and its many translations.

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Exodus 34:6

English NASB: Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;

Hebrew Masoretic: Hesed—חֶסֶד translated: goodness, [resources of] love, loving-kindness, merciful, sometimes grace, and especially loyalty

וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהוָה עַל-פָּנָיו, וַיִּקְרָא, יְהוָה יְהוָה, אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן--אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, וְרַב-חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת

Aramaic Peshitta: taybūṯā—kindess, thanks, beneficence, grace, charity, soundness

ܘܥܒܼܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ܂ ܘܩܼܪܐ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܪܝܐ܂ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܪܚܡܢܐ  ܘܡܪܚܦܢܐ܂ ܕܢܓܝܪܐ ܪܘܚܗ ܘܣܓܝܐܐ ܛܝܒܘܬܗ ܘܩܘܫܬܗ܂

Greek Septuagint: Polyeleos—πολυελεος translated: Very merciful, compassionate, full of mercy

Και παρηλθεν κυριος προ προσωπου αυτου και εκαλεσεν κυριος ο θεος οικτιρμων και ελεημων μακροθυμος και 

πολυελεος και αληθινος

Latin Vulgate: Miserationis—Mercy

Quo transeunte coram eo, ait: Dominator Domine Deus, misericors et clemens, patiens et multæ miserationis, ac verax

Hosea 6:6

Hosea 6:6 shows that hesed is something that God desires in man, which implies loyalty to God. In fact the NASB translates it:

English NASB: “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Hebrew Masoretic: Hesed—חֶסֶד translated: goodness, [resources of] love, loving-kindness, merciful, sometimes grace, and especially loyalty

כִּי חֶסֶד חָפַצְתִּי, וְלֹא-זָבַח; וְדַעַת אֱלֹהִים, מֵעֹלוֹת

Aramaic Peshitta: bataybūṯā—kindess, thanks, beneficence, grace, charity, soundness

ܡܛܠ ܕܨܒܝܬ ܒܛܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܠܐ ܒܕܒܚܬܐ܂ ܘܒܐܝܕܥܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܛܒ ܡܢ ܝܩ̈ܕܐ ܫ̈ܠܡܐ܂

Greek Septuagint (LXX): eleos—ἔλεος translated: mercy, act of kindness

διότι ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ ἢ ὁλοκαυτώματα

LXX Translation: For mercy I want, and not sacrifice, and full knowledge of God rather than whole burnt-offerings.

Latin Vulgate: misericordiam—mercy

quia misericordiam volui et non sacrificium et scientiam Dei plus quam holocaust

Matthew 9:13

NASB English: "But go and learn what this means: ' DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Greek Byzantine Majority: eleos—eleon, eleos in Alexandrian, eleoV in Hort & Westcott poreuqenteV de maqete ti estin eleon qelw kai ou qusian ou gar

hlqon kalesai dikaiouV alla amartwlouV eis metanoian

Aramaic Peshitta: hnana— ܚܢܳܢܳܐtranslate: mercy

ܙܶܠܘ ܝܺܠܰܦܼܘ ܡܳܢܰܘ܃ ܚܢܳܢܳܐ ܒ݁ܳܥܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ܂ ܘܠܳܐ ܕܿܶܒܼܚܬ݂ܳܐ܂ ܠܳܐ ܓܿܶܝܪ ܐܶܬܼܺܝܬܼ ܕܿܶܐܩܪܶܐ ܠܙܰܕܿܺܝܩܶܐ̈܂ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܠܚܰܛܳܝܶܐ̈

Latin Vulgate: misericordiam--mercy

euntes autem discite quid est misericordiam volo et non sacrificium non enim veni vocare iustos sed peccatores

Now we will look at another word that is sometimes translated grace or favor.

Genesis 6:8

English NASB: But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Hebrew Masoretic: khane or chên or chn— חֵן translated: graciousness, that is, subjectively (kindness, favor) or objectively (beauty): - favor, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favored.

וְנֹחַ, מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה

Aramaic Peshitta: rḥmyn--

ܘܢܘܚ ܐܫܟܚ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܒܥܝܢ̈ܝ ܡܪܝܐ܂

Greek Septuagint: carin--grace, favor

Νωε δὲ εὗρεν χάριν ἐναντίον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ

Latin Vulgate: Gratiam--grace

Noë vero invenit gratiam coram Domino.

Genesis 19:19

Here we see Hesed and chen in the same verse:

Hebrew Masoretic:

הִנֵּה-נָא מָצָא עַבְדְּךָ חֵן, בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וַתַּגְדֵּל חַסְדְּךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי, לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת-נַפְשִׁי; וְאָנֹכִי, לֹא אוּכַל לְהִמָּלֵט הָהָרָה--פֶּן-תִּדְבָּקַנִי הָרָעָה, וָמַתִּי

Greek Septuagint: ἔλεος--

ἐπειδὴ εὗρεν ὁ παῖς σου *ἔλεος ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἐμεγάλυνας τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου ὃ ποιεῖς ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ

τοῦ ζῆν τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ δυνήσομαι διασωθῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος μὴ καταλάβῃ με τὰ κακὰ καὶ

ἀποθάνω

*other LXX manuscripts have carin instead, the same word the New Testament uses for grace.

In some Jewish manuscripts such as the Targum Jonathan replace another word for grace with hesed in its targums.