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Hebrew Vocabulary

Hebrew Words for Mercy

Hebrew has a rich vocabulary for mercy — each word capturing a different facet of compassion, from a mother's love to divine forgiveness. Explore the words, their biblical roots, and the names they inspire.

Rachamim — MercyChesed — Loving-KindnessAll Hebrew Words
1.

Rachamim

/ra-kha-MEEM/

Mercy / Compassion / Pity

רַחֲמִים
Noun (masculine, plural) · Root: ר-ח-מ

In the Hebrew Bible

Rachamim appears throughout the Hebrew Bible as one of God's defining attributes. In Exodus 34:6, God reveals the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, beginning with "Adonai, Adonai, El rachum v'chanun" — the Lord, the Lord, a compassionate and gracious God. Psalm 145:9 declares: "The Lord is good to all, and His rachamim are over all His works."

Cultural Significance

Rachamim shares its root with "rechem" (womb), beautifully linking compassion to the nurturing, unconditional love of a mother. This linguistic connection teaches that true mercy is not a detached act of pity, but a deep, visceral empathy — the kind a mother feels for the child she carried. The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are recited on Yom Kippur, fast days, and Selichot services, forming the core of Jewish prayers for forgiveness.

הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָלֵא רַחֲמִים

The Holy One, blessed be He, is full of mercy.

Related names:
RachumRachamim
2.

Chesed

/KHEH-sed/

Loving-Kindness / Grace / Mercy

חֶסֶד
Noun (masculine) · Root: ח-ס-ד

In the Hebrew Bible

Chesed is one of the most important words in the Hebrew Bible, appearing over 240 times. Psalm 136 repeats "ki l'olam chasdo" (for His chesed endures forever) 26 times. Micah 6:8 instructs: "What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love chesed, and to walk humbly with your God."

Cultural Significance

Chesed is the fourth of the ten Sefirot in Kabbalah, representing divine lovingkindness and the desire to give without limit. It is paired with Gevurah (strength/judgment) — together they represent the balance between mercy and justice. Chesed is considered a higher form of mercy than rachamim because it implies going beyond what is owed or deserved. The concept of "gemilut chasadim" (acts of loving-kindness) is one of the three pillars on which the world stands, according to Pirkei Avot.

עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה

The world is built on chesed (loving-kindness). (Psalm 89:3)

Related names:
ChasidahChasid
3.

Chanun

/kha-NOON/

Gracious / Merciful / Compassionate

חָנוּן
Adjective · Root: ח-נ-נ

In the Hebrew Bible

Chanun appears in the Thirteen Attributes as "El rachum v'chanun" — a compassionate and gracious God. Psalm 111:4 states: "Chanun v'rachum Adonai" — gracious and merciful is the Lord. The root chen (grace) gives us the concept of finding favor in God's eyes.

Cultural Significance

The root of chanun gives Hebrew the word "chen" (grace, charm, favor), and the name Chanah (Hannah), who prayed with such intensity that God heard her plea. The Tachanun prayer, recited daily, derives from this root — it is a prayer for grace and mercy. The concept of "chinam" (free, without charge) also comes from this root, suggesting that true grace, like true mercy, is given freely, not earned.

חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם ה׳

Gracious and merciful is the Lord. (Psalm 111:4)

Related names:
HannahChaninaYochanan
4.

Selichah

/se-lee-KHAH/

Forgiveness / Pardon / Mercy

סְלִיחָה
Noun (feminine) · Root: ס-ל-ח

In the Hebrew Bible

The root s-l-ch appears in the Torah exclusively with God as its subject — in biblical Hebrew, only God truly forgives. Numbers 14:19-20 records Moses pleading: "Selach na" — please forgive — and God responds: "Salachti kidvarecha" — I have forgiven as you asked. Nehemiah 9:17 describes God as "Eloha selichot" — a God of forgiveness.

Cultural Significance

In modern Hebrew, "selichah" is the everyday word for "excuse me" and "I'm sorry," but its sacred roots run deep. The Selichot services — penitential prayers recited before Rosh Hashanah and on fast days — derive their name from this word. During the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews seek selichah from both God and the people they have wronged, recognizing that divine forgiveness requires human reconciliation first.

סְלַח נָא לָעָם הַזֶּה

Please forgive this people. (Numbers 14:19)

5.

Chemlah

/khem-LAH/

Pity / Compassion / Clemency

חֶמְלָה
Noun (feminine) · Root: ח-מ-ל

In the Hebrew Bible

Chemlah appears in key biblical narratives about sparing and showing pity. In Exodus 2:6, Pharaoh's daughter "vatachmol alav" — she had pity on baby Moses in the basket, saving his life and changing the course of history. In 1 Samuel 15:9, Saul "vatachmol" — showed pity — on Agag and the best livestock, against God's command.

Cultural Significance

Chemlah carries a sense of mercy that involves restraint — the decision not to punish or destroy when one has the power to do so. It is the mercy of the powerful toward the vulnerable. In modern Hebrew, chemlah is often used in discussions of humanitarianism and social justice, reflecting the Jewish obligation to protect the weak and the stranger.

וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו בַּת פַּרְעֹה

And Pharaoh's daughter had pity on him. (Exodus 2:6)

6.

Kaparah

/ka-pa-RAH/

Atonement / Expiation / Mercy

כַּפָּרָה
Noun (feminine) · Root: כ-פ-ר

In the Hebrew Bible

The root k-p-r is central to the Day of Atonement — Yom HaKippurim — the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar. Leviticus 16 describes the elaborate Temple service in which the High Priest makes kaparah for the sins of all Israel. The "kapporet" (mercy seat) atop the Ark of the Covenant was where God's presence dwelt between the cherubim.

Cultural Significance

Kaparah literally means "covering" — sins are covered or wiped away. The idea that atonement is possible is a foundational concept in Judaism, representing God's willingness to restore the relationship between humanity and the divine. In modern Israeli slang, "kaparah" is used as a term of endearment, especially in Sephardic and Mizrachi communities — calling someone "kaparah sheli" (my atonement) expresses willingness to suffer on their behalf.

כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם

For on this day He shall make atonement for you. (Leviticus 16:30)

7.

Nechamah

/ne-kha-MAH/

Comfort / Consolation / Mercy

נֶחָמָה
Noun (feminine) · Root: נ-ח-מ

In the Hebrew Bible

Isaiah 40:1 begins with the famous double imperative: "Nachamu, nachamu ami" — comfort, comfort My people. This passage opens the seven Haftarot of Consolation read after Tisha B'Av. God is described as "menachem avelim" — one who comforts mourners. The name Noah (Noach) derives from this root, as his father prophesied: "This one will comfort us."

Cultural Significance

Nechamah represents a uniquely Jewish understanding of mercy: the mercy that comes through presence and consolation during suffering. The mitzvah of "nichum avelim" (comforting mourners) is considered one of the greatest acts of chesed. During the shiva mourning period, visitors sit with the bereaved, offering their presence rather than trying to explain away the loss. This wordless mercy — simply being there — embodies the deepest meaning of nechamah.

נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי

Comfort, comfort My people. (Isaiah 40:1)

Related names:
MenachemNachmanNehama
8.

Chaninah

/kha-nee-NAH/

Clemency / Pardon / Grace

חֲנִינָה
Noun (feminine) · Root: ח-נ-נ

In the Hebrew Bible

From the same root as chanun (gracious), chaninah represents the formal act of granting mercy or pardon. Jeremiah 16:13 warns of a land "where I will show you no chaninah," and Esther 4:8 describes Esther's mission to seek chaninah from the king for her people — the petition for mercy that saved the Jewish nation.

Cultural Significance

In modern Hebrew, chaninah is the legal term for a presidential pardon or act of clemency. The concept bridges ancient and modern — from Esther petitioning King Achashverosh for the lives of her people to modern heads of state exercising mercy. The daily Tachanun prayer includes pleas for divine chaninah, acknowledging that mercy is ultimately a gift, not something that can be demanded or earned.

וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן לוֹ עַל עַמָּהּ

And to plead with him for mercy upon her people. (Esther 4:8)

Related names:
ChaninaChananya

Mercy in the Torah

These verses from the Hebrew Bible use words for mercy, compassion, and divine forgiveness — the same roots that give us the Hebrew vocabulary and names above.

Daniel 9:9דניאל 9:9

לאדני אלהינו הרחמים והסלחות כי מרדנו בו

To our Sovereign God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we were rebellious,

Deuteronomy 28:50דברים 28:50

גוי עז פנים אשר לא ישא פנים לזקן ונער לא יחן

A ruthless nation, that will show the old no regard and the young no mercy.

Genesis 19:16בראשית 19:16

ויתמהמה ויחזיקו האנשים בידו וביד אשתו וביד שתי בנתיו בחמלת יהוה עליו ויצאהו וינחהו מחוץ לעיר

Still he delayed. So the agents seized his hand, and the hands of his wife and his two daughters—in GOD’s mercy on him—and brought him out and left him outside the city.

Genesis 43:14בראשית 43:14

ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים לפני האיש ושלח לכם את אחיכם אחר ואת בנימין ואני כאשר שכלתי שכלתי

And may El Shaddai dispose the man to mercy toward you, that he may release to you your other brother, as well as Benjamin. As for me, if I am to be bereaved, I shall be bereaved.”

Hosea 2:21הושע 2:21

וארשתיך לי לעולם וארשתיך לי בצדק ובמשפט ובחסד וברחמים

And I will espouse you forever: I will espouse you with righteousness and justice, And with goodness and mercy,

I Kings 8:50מלכים א 8:50

וסלחת לעמך אשר חטאו לך ולכל פשעיהם אשר פשעו בך ונתתם לרחמים לפני שביהם ורחמום

And pardon Your people who have sinned against You for all the transgressions that they have committed against You. Grant them mercy in the sight of their captors that they may be merciful to them.

Isaiah 19:4ישעיהו 19:4

וסכרתי את מצרים ביד אדנים קשה ומלך עז ימשל בם נאם האדון יהוה צבאות

And I will place the Egyptians At the mercy of a harsh master, And a ruthless king shall rule them” —declares the Sovereign, GOD of Hosts.

Isaiah 27:11ישעיהו 27:11

ביבש קצירה תשברנה נשים באות מאירות אותה כי לא עם בינות הוא על כן לא ירחמנו עשהו ויצרו לא יחננו

When its crown is withered, they break; Women come and make fires with them. For they are a people without understanding; That is why Their Maker will show them no mercy, Their Creator will deny them grace.

English translation: THE JPS TANAKH, Revised Edition (2023) © Jewish Publication Society, via Sefaria. CC BY-NC 4.0

The Concept of Mercy in Hebrew

The Hebrew language has at least eight distinct words for mercy, each reflecting a different facet of compassion. Where Rachamim (רחמים) describes the visceral, womb-deep compassion of a parent, Chesed (חסד) speaks to loving-kindness that goes beyond obligation. Chanun (חנון) conveys divine graciousness, while Selichah (סליחה) points to the power of forgiveness.

This richness of vocabulary reflects how central mercy is to Jewish theology and ethics. God's Thirteen Attributes of Mercy — revealed to Moses after the sin of the Golden Calf — teach that compassion is not weakness but the highest expression of divine power. The Talmud instructs: “Just as God is merciful, so should you be merciful. Just as God is gracious, so should you be gracious.”

These words have given rise to beloved Hebrew names: Rachamim (“mercy”), Chanina (“grace”), Menachem (“comforter”), and Nachman (“consoler”). When a Jewish family chooses a name rooted in mercy, they express the hope that their child will embody compassion — reflecting the divine attribute that sustains the world.

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Every Hebrew word carries a numerical value through gematria. Explore the hidden connections between words, names, and Torah verses.

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