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How did ancient Israelites understand hesed?
חֶסֶד is closer to covenant-loyalty than kindness — the reliable, binding love of a partner who has sworn an oath1. Sakenfeld argues it always presumes a prior relationship2.
Brueggemann extends this: YHWH's hesed makes exile survivable — a love that refuses to exit even when the covenant partner has broken faith3.
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In the ancient Near East, covenants were political instruments1 — the suzerain-vassal form underwrites most legal material from Hatti and Ugarit.
What is strange in Genesis 15 is that the covenant is unilateral. YHWH alone walks between the divided pieces2. The vassal makes no oath; only the suzerain binds himself3.
Brueggemann reads this as scandal: God has promised and is now obliged4.
ANE covenants functioned as political instruments — the suzerain-vassal form underwrites the treaty language Israel inherited for its relationship with YHWH.
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