Lexical Summary Maasay: Works, deeds, actions Original Word: מַעֲשַׂי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Maasiai From asah; operative; Maasai, an Israelite -- Maasiai. see HEBREW asah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom maaseh Definition "work of Yah," an Isr. NASB Translation Maasai (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ, יָה-, מַעֲשַׂי proper name, masculine (work of ׳י; compare proper name מעשיהו on Israel seal, ClGann, see Lzb315); — Μα(α)σσαια(ς), etc., ᵐ5B Ezra 10:21 Μασαηλ: — 1 priest, Jeremiah's time, מַעֲשֵׂיָה Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 37:3; perhaps Jeremiah 35:4 (יָהוּ-). 2 Jeremiah 29:21. מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ 3 Levites: a. 1 Chronicles 15:18,20. b.2Chronicles 23:1. 4 officials: a.2Chronicles 26:11. b.2Chronicles 34:8. 5 sons of Ahaz2Chronicles 28:7. 6 Levite 1 Chronicles 6:25 reading מַעֲשֵׂיָה for ᵑ0 בַּעֲשֵׂיָה q. v., compare Kit. מַעֲשֵׂיָה of various post-exile men: 7 Nehemiah 3:23 (Μαδασηλ, A Μαασιου). 8. a. Nehemiah 8:4,7. b. Nehemiah 10:26. c. Nehemiah 11:5. d. Nehemiah 11:7. e. Nehemiah 12:41. f. Nehemiah 12:42. 9. a. Ezra 10:18. b. Ezra 10:21 Μασαηλ, Μασειας). c. Ezra 10:22. d. Ezra 10:30. 10 מַעֲשַׂי (van d. H. מַעְשַׂי) Μα(α)σαι(α), a priest 1 Chronicles 9:12. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context and Genealogical Setting Maasai appears once in Scripture, in a priestly register that recounts those who resettled Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile: “and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer” (1 Chronicles 9:12). 1 Chronicles 9 parallels Nehemiah 11 in cataloguing families who took up residence in the holy city so that public worship could resume. The Chronicler’s interest is not merely statistical; by naming individuals he highlights the historical reality that genuine people, with traceable ancestry, answered God’s call to restore worship at the Second Temple. Priestly Lineage and Covenant Continuity Maasai’s descent from the house of Immer ties him to one of the twenty-four priestly divisions established by David (1 Chronicles 24:14). That division had been active before the exile (Jeremiah 20:1) and, through Maasai, it re-emerges afterward. The genealogy therefore testifies to the Lord’s preservation of the Aaronic line despite national judgment. By inserting Maasai into a chain of six generations, the Chronicler upholds the covenant promise that “My covenant with Levi… will never be broken” (compare Malachi 2:4-5). Role in the Restored Worship at Jerusalem Although Scripture provides no narrative about Maasai’s personal deeds, his inclusion among “1,760 able men for the work of the service of the house of God” (1 Chronicles 9:13) implies active participation in daily sacrifices, teaching of the Law, and the safeguarding of ritual purity. In post-exilic Jerusalem, such service was crucial: offerings had resumed (Ezra 3:6), but spiritual fervor needed cultivating. Priests like Maasai embodied God’s intent that restored worship be ordered, scriptural, and continuous. Theology of Names and Identity In the Old Testament a single mention can carry weight. By recording Maasai, the Spirit affirms that every servant counts; anonymity before men does not erase recognition before God. The Chronicler’s careful preservation of names reveals a theology of remembrance—God rewards even those whose labor is hidden from history’s spotlight (Hebrews 6:10). Lessons for Ministry Today 1. Faithfulness across Generations: Maasai’s family endured exile yet re-engaged temple service. Modern believers inherit a heritage of worship that calls for generational continuity. By appearing in a single verse, Maasai reinforces the chronicler’s larger message: the Lord faithfully restores both His city and His servants, ensuring that true worship endures from age to age. Forms and Transliterations וּמַעְשַׂ֨י ומעשי ū·ma‘·śay ūma‘śay umaSaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 9:12 HEB: בֶּן־ מַלְכִּיָּ֑ה וּמַעְשַׂ֨י בֶּן־ עֲדִיאֵ֧ל NAS: of Malchijah, and Maasai the son KJV: of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son INT: the son of Malchijah and Maasai the son of Adiel 1 Occurrence |
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