Chesed v’Emet: Covenant Ethics When the Ending Is Withheld
Micah 6:1–8 ║ Genesis 47:28–48:9
“When God won’t hand us the timeline, He hands us the way—justice that holds, mercy that costs, and humility that remembers.”
The Twelve Voices Shneim Asar Kolot
Micah 6:1-8
God Demands Right Living
1
Listen to what the Lord is saying:
“Stand up and state your case against me.
Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints.
2
And now, O mountains,
listen to the Lord’s complaint!
He has a case against his people.
He will bring charges against Israel.
3
“O my people, what have I done to you?
What have I done to make you tired of me?
Answer me!
4
For I brought you out of Egypt
and redeemed you from slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
5
Don’t you remember, my people,
how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed
and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?
And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
when I, the Lord, did everything I could
to teach you about my faithfulness.”
6
What can we bring to the Lord?
Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
with offerings of yearling calves?
7
Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?
8
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
Old Testament Chumash
Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 47
28 Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years. Jacob’s days, i.e., the years of his lifetime, totaled 147 years.
29 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph, and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh and swear that, upon my death, you will do for me the following act of genuine kindness: Please do not bury me in Egypt.
30 For I am going to soon lie down with my fathers, i.e., die, and then you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph replied, “I will do as you say.”
31 He said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Israel prostrated himself toward the head of the bed.
Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 48
1 Some time after these words were exchanged, Ephraim told Joseph, “Your father is ailing.” So Joseph took his two sons with him: Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 Ephraim told Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” so Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.
3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me in Luz, in Canaan, and blessed me.
4 He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous and I will make of you a community of peoples, and I will give this land to your descendants after you as their permanent estate.’
5 Now, your two sons who were born to you in Egypt before I came to you, to Egypt, will be considered mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be to me like my own sons, Reuben and Simeon.
6 Any offspring born to you after them, however, will be considered yours; when they inherit their portion of the Promised Land, they will be included under their brothers’ names as part of their tribes.
7 When I was coming from Padan Aram, your mother Rachel died on me in Canaan; we were still only a stretch of land short of reaching Efrat. I buried her there, along the road to Efrat, which is Bethlehem.”
8 Israel saw Joseph’s sons and asked Joseph, “Who are these?”
9 Joseph replied to his father, “They are my sons, whom God gave me in this country.” Jacob said, “If you would, bring them to me so that I may bless them.”
CHIASTIC STRUCTURE
Genesis 47:28–48:9
A Life in exile is extended (47:28)
B An oath is demanded: “chesed v’emet” (47:29–30)
C Honor is practiced within empire (47:31–48:2)
D Covenant memory is rehearsed (48:3–4)
E CENTER: Identity expands—sons become tribes (48:5–6)
D′ Rachel’s grief becomes future mercy (48:7)
C′ Discernment returns: “Who are these?” (48:8)
B′ Joseph answers with God-language: “God gave…” (48:9)
A′ Blessing is about to proceed inside exile (48:9)
Center claim:
In exile, God preserves the future by re-naming the present.
Review
1. About Sacrifice
Micah’s people ask, “What can we bring?”
Jacob asks, “Will you be faithful?”
2. About Memory
God’s first argument is history: “I brought you out.”
What are you forgetting because you’re tired?
3. About Leadership
Jacob models humility, but keeps covenant boundaries.
Are you honoring power without becoming it?
4. About Mercy
Rachel’s tears teach us: mercy can be stationed, not just felt.
Where is God asking you to plant compassion ahead of tomorrow?
WORD STUDY
חֶסֶד — Chesed
Covenant mercy, loyal love that keeps showing up.
אֱמֶת — Emet
Truth as faithfulness (not just accuracy): reliability that doesn’t bend.
מִשְׁפָּט — Mishpat (Micah 6:8 “do right/justice”)
Justice as right order—restoring what power distorted.
עֲנָוָה — Anavah (Micah 6:8 “walk humbly”)
Strength under restraint; measured self-governance.
זָכַר — Zachar
To remember in Scripture is to act covenantally from memory.
