Kindness — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

State of being that includes the attributes of loving affection, sympathy, friendliness, patience, pleasantness, gentleness, and goodness. Kindness is a quality shown in the way a person speaks and acts. It is more volitional than emotional.

The Bible is filled with illustrations of kindness. Joseph wanted Pharaoh’s butler to show kindness by remembering him to Pharaoh (Gn 40:14). Rahab requested kind treatment from Israel for her protection of the two spies who had come into her home (Jos 2:12). Before he attacked Amalek, Saul asked the Kenites to leave the Amalekite territory, not wanting to kill them along with the Amalekites because of the kindness they had shown Israel when Israel came up from Egypt (1 Sm 15:6). David commended the men of Jabesh-gilead for the kindness they had shown Saul in giving his body a decent burial (2 Sm 2:5). Jonathan requested “unfailing kindness” of David so that he would not be killed (1 Sm 20:14-15). David extended this kindness to Jonathan’s son by granting him the right to eat at the king’s table (2 Sm 9:1-7).

Show passage in OET: GEN 40:14

OET-RV GEN 40:14

14 But when it all goes well for you, if you remember me then please be kind and mention me to Par’oh to get me out of this prison,

OET-LV GEN 40:14

14 If/because (if) you_have _remembered _me with_you just_as it _will _go _well to/for_you(fs) and_you _will _do please with_me loyalty and_you_will _bring _me _to _remembrance to Parˊoh and_you_will _bring _me _out from the_house (the)_this.

Show passage in OET: JOS 2:12

OET-RV JOS 2:12

12 So now, please promise me by Yahweh that because I’ve been kind to both of you, you all will act kindly towards my father’s household. Give me a guarantee that you’ll do what you promise

OET-LV JOS 2:12

12 And_now swear please to_me by_YHWH if/because I _have _done with_you(pl) loyalty and_ also you(pl) _you(pl)_will _do with the _household _of my _father _of_my loyalty and_you(pl)_will _give to_me a _sign _of faithfulness.

Show passage in OET: SA1 15:6

OET-RV SA1 15:6

6 Then he warned the Keynim, “You all need to move out from among the Amalekim, so that you all won’t be attacked along with them. That’s because you all were kind to our ancestors when they came out of Mitsrayim.” So the Keynim moved out from among the Amalekim.

OET-LV SA1 15:6

6 And_ Shāʼūl _he/it _said to the_Qēynī[s] go depart go _down from_among _of the_ˊAmālēqite[s] lest I_should _destroy _you with_him/it and_you(ms) you _did loyalty with all _of the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) when_they_came _up from_Miʦrayim and_ the_Qēynī[s] _it _departed from_among _of ˊAmālēq.

Show passage in OET: SA2 2:5

OET-RV SA2 2:5

5 So David sent messengers to Yavesh-Gilead to tell them, “May Yahweh bless you all because you showed that kindness to your master Sha’ul to bury him respectfully.

OET-LV SA2 2:5

5 And_ Dāvid _he _sent messengers to the _people _of Yāⱱēsh and_he/it _said to_them you(pl) be_blessed to/for_YHWH that you(pl)_have _done the_loyalty the_this with master(s)_of_your(pl) with Shāʼūl and_you(pl)_have _buried DOM_him/it.

Show passage in OET: SA1 20:14–15

OET-RV SA1 20:14

14 But as long as I’m still alive, please keep our agreement of faithfulness before Yahweh so I won’t die.

OET-RV SA1 20:15

15 Don’t ever terminate that agreement of faithfulness towards my family, even when Yahweh destroys your enemies wherever they are.

OET-LV SA1 20:14

14 And_not if still_I am_alive and_not you _will _do with_me the _covenant _loyalty _of YHWH and_not I _will _die.

OET-LV SA1 20:15

15 And_not you _must _cut _off DOM loyalty _of_your _covenant from_with house _of_my until perpetuity and_not when_ YHWH _cuts _off DOM the _enemies _of Dāvid everyone from_under the _surface _of the_soil.

Show passage in OET: SA2 9:1–7

OET-RV SA2 9:1

9 One day David asked, “Is there still anyone remaining from Sha’ul’s (Saul’s) extended family because I’d like to show kindness to them for Yonatan’s (Jonathan’s) sake?”

OET-RV SA2 9:2

2 Now there was a servant in Sha’ul household named Tsiva and he was summoned to David, and the king asked him, “Are you Tsiva?”
¶ “Yes, I’m your servant,” he replied.

OET-RV SA2 9:3

3 “Is there anyone from Sha’ul’s family who’s still alive?” the king asked. “If so, I’d like to show God’s kindness to them.”
¶ “Yes, There’s still one of Yonatan’s sons alive,” Tsiva told the king. “He’s crippled in both legs.”

OET-RV SA2 9:4

4 “Where is he?” the king asked.
¶ “Actually,” Tsiva told the king, “he’s at Makir’s house—the son of Amiyel in Lo -Devar.”

OET-RV SA2 9:5

5 So King David sent messengers to Lo -Devar to have him brought to Yerushalem (Jerusalem).

OET-RV SA2 9:6

6 Then Yonatan’s son Mefiboshet came to David and fell onto his knees and bowed his face down to the ground, and David said, Mefiboshet.”
¶ “I’m your servant,” he replied.

OET-RV SA2 9:7

7 Then David told him, “Don’t be afraid, because I’ll certainly show you kindness for the sake of your father Yonatan. I’ll restore all the pastureland that belonged to your grandfather Sha’ul (Saul), and you yourself are invited to always eat at my table.”

OET-LV SA2 9:1

9 And_ Dāvid _he/it _said if/because is_there still one_who he _is _left to_the _house _of Shāʼūl/(Saul) so_that _I _may _do with_him/it covenant _loyalty in_account _of Yōnātān/(Yəhōnātān/(Jonathan)).

OET-LV SA2 9:2

2 And_belonged_to_the _house _of Shāʼūl a _servant and_his/its_name was_Tsīⱱāʼ/(Ziba) and_people _summoned to_him/it to Dāvid and_ the_king _he/it _said to_him/it are_you Tsīⱱāʼ and_he/it _said servant _of_your.

OET-LV SA2 9:3

3 And_ the_king _he/it _said is_there_not still anyone of_the _house _of of _Shāʼūl so_that _I _may _do with_him/it the _covenant _loyalty _of god and_ Tsīⱱāʼ _he/it _said to the_king still a _son of_Yōnātān stricken _of both _feet.

OET-LV SA2 9:4

4 And_he/it _said to_him/it the_king where is_he and_ Tsīⱱāʼ _he/it _said to the_king HERE he is_the _house _of Mākīr the _son _of ˊAmmiy^ʼēl in_Lo- debar.

OET-LV SA2 9:5

5 And_ the_king Dāvid _he _sent and_he_took _him from_the _house _of Mākīr the _son _of ˊAmmiy^ʼēl from_Lo- debar.

OET-LV SA2 9:6

6 And_ Mephiboshet the _son _of Yōnātān the _son _of Shāʼūl _he _came to Dāvid and_he _fell on his/its_faces/face and_he _bowed _down and_ Dāvid _he/it _said Oh _Mephiboshet and_he/it _said HERE servant _of_is_your.

OET-LV SA2 9:7

7 And_he/it _said to_him/it Dāvid do _not be _afraid if/because certainly _(do) I _will _do with_you covenant _loyalty because_of Yōnātān father _of_your and_I _will _restore to/for_yourself(m) DOM all _of the _land _of Shāʼūl/(Saul) father _of_your and_you(ms) you _will _eat food on table _of_my continually.

Jump to OET GEN 40:14 section.

Jump to OET JOS 2:12 section.

Jump to OET SA1 15:6 section.

Jump to OET SA2 2:5 section.

Jump to OET SA1 20:14–15 section.

Jump to OET SA2 9:1–7 section.

It is the worst kind of ingratitude to return evil for kindness. Abimelech wanted Abraham to swear that he would return kindness for kindness to his offspring (Gn 21:23). Abner showed kindness to Ishbosheth by not delivering him over to David, while Ishbosheth, in return, charged Abner with guilt regarding Saul’s concubine, Rizpah (2 Sm 3:8). Hanun received David’s kind act of sending condolences on his father’s death by humiliating David’s messengers, thereby bringing on war between the two nations (10:2-19). Absalom rebuked Hushai, David’s friend, for supposedly leaving David’s side when he needed him. Absalom asked Hushai if that was the way he was repaying David’s friendship (2 Sm 16:17; see also 2 Chr 24:22).

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:23

OET-RV GEN 21:23

23 So then, swear to me here by God that you won’t treat me or my children or my descendants badly, and that’ll you’ll be kind to this country just as I showed kindness to you.”

OET-LV GEN 21:23

23 And_now swear to/for_me by_god here if you _will _deal _falsely to_me and_to_posterity _of_my and_to_progeny _of_my according_the _loyalty which I _have _done with_you you _will _do with_me and_with the_earth/land which you _have _sojourned in_it.

Show passage in OET: SA2 3:8

OET-RV SA2 3:8

8 Avner became very angry at this challenge from Ish -Boshet and snapped back, “Do you think I’m Yehudah’s (Judah’s) dog hiding out over here? Today I’ve been helping Sha’ul’s family: your father, his brothers, and his friends, and I won’t let you fall into David’s hands. Yet today you bring some charge against me to do with a woman?

OET-LV SA2 3:8

8 And_it _glowed/burnt to_ʼAⱱnēr exceedingly on the _words/messages _of Ish- boshet and_he/it _said the_head _of a _dog am_I which belongs_to_Yəhūdāh/(Judah) the_day I _show loyalty with the _house _of Shāʼūl/(Saul) father _of_your to brothers _of_his and_near/to friend[s]_of_his _close and_not I_have _delivered _you in_the _hand _of Dāvid and_you _have _visited on_me the _guilt _of the_woman the_day.

Show passage in OET: SA2 16:17

OET-RV SA2 16:17

17 “Is that how you show kindness to your friend David?” Avshalom responded. “Why didn’t you go with him?”

OET-LV SA2 16:17

17 And_ ʼAⱱīshālōm _he/it _said to Ḩūshay is_this loyalty _of_your with friend _of_your to/for_what not did _you _go with friend _of_your.

Show passage in OET: CH2 24:22

OET-RV CH2 24:22

22 King Yoash disregarded the loyal commitment that Yehoyada had shown to his father, and killed his son. As Zekaryah was dying, he said, “Yahweh will see this and find a way to avenge.”

OET-LV CH2 24:22

22 And_not Yōʼāsh/(Joash) the_king he _remembered the_loyalty which Yəhōyādāˊ his/its_father he _had _done with_him/it and_he _killed DOM his/its_son and_just_as_he _died he _said YHWH may _he _see and_may _he _require.

Jump to OET GEN 21:23 section.

Jump to OET SA2 3:8 section.

Jump to OET SA2 16:17 section.

Jump to OET CH2 24:22 section.

God’s actions provide the outstanding illustrations of kindness in the Bible. The Levites praised God because he had proved to be a God of forgiveness, graciousness, compassion, and abundant lovingkindness (Neh 9:17-31). To highlight God’s virtue even more, they declared his kindness against the backdrop of Israel’s unfaithfulness. God did not forsake his people, even though they forsook him for a golden calf. He gave them his Spirit to instruct them. He gave them manna to eat and water to drink for 40 years in the wilderness. He gave them Canaan, a land in which to dwell.

The high point of God’s kindness was his provision of salvation for sinners, not on the basis of their works but on the basis of his mercy (Ti 3:4; see also Eph 2:7). Because of God’s great kindness toward them, in giving both physical and spiritual blessings, Christians are exhorted, as God’s elect, to put on hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; that is, to show kindness to others in return for God’s kindness (Col 3:12). The apostle Peter commanded Christians to add to their faith, along with other excellences, the excellence of brotherly kindness (2 Pt 1:7, KJB).