John A. Davies
This chapter of The Mercy of God in the Old Testament considers words for grace, the bestowal of favour on the undeserving, often in response to their entreaties. Humans, sometimes expressly in response to divine prompting, can demonstrate grace, but it is supremely evidenced in God’s favourable treatment of his people. God’s grace comes to the fore in the various covenantal epochs, those associated with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, and in the covenantal renewal following exile. A variety of expressions for seeking or extending grace make use of nonverbal idioms involving the face and eyes, the hands and arms.