Lexical Summary paal: To do, make, perform, work Original Word: פָעַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance commit, evil doer, maker, ordain, worker A primitive root; to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise -- commit, (evil-) do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition do, make NASB Translation accomplish (1), act (1), acted (1), carried (1), deal (1), did (2), do (15), doers (2), does (1), does his work (1), doing (1), done (6), made (3), Maker (1), makes (2), performed (2), work (4), workers (7), working (1), works (2), wrought (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מָּעַל57 verb do, make (in poetry for עָשָׂה) (Late Hebrew מּוֺעֵל workman, compare Jewish-Aramaic; Phoenician פעל = Biblical Hebrew (often); Arabic  id.; Old Aramaic; פעל; Syriac in derived species and derivatives ); — Qal Perfect3masculine singular Deuteronomy 32:27 +, פָ֫עַל אֵל Numbers 23:23, 2masculine singular מָּעַלְתָּ Exodus 15:17 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִפְעַל Job 22:17 +; 2 masculine singular תִּפְעָלֿ Job 35:6, etc.; Infinitive construct לְפָעְָלָם Job 37:12 (see below); Participle active מֹּעֵל Psalm 15:2+, plural construct מֹּעֲלֵי Psalm 5:6 +, etc.; — 1 do: a. of God, with accusative (abstract) Numbers 23:23; Deuteronomy 32:27; Job 33:29, יְשׁוּעוֺת Psalm 74:12; + ל person Psalm 31:20; Psalm 68:29; Isaiah 26:12; Job 22:17; with accusative of congnate meaning with verb מֹּעַל Psalm 44:2; Habakkuk 1:5; accusative omitted Isaiah 43:13, compare Isaiah 41:4. b. of men, with accusative Psalm 11:3; Job 11:8, + ל person (God) Job 7:20, + ב person (God) Job 35:6; especially of doing evil, שָׁ֑קֶר Hosea 7:1, עָוֶל Job 34:32, עַוְלָה Job 36:23; Psalm 58:3; Psalm 119:3, אָוֶן Proverbs 30:20, especially מֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן Hosea 6:8; Isaiah 31:2; Job 31:3; Job 34:8,22; Psalm 5:6 15t. in Psalms, Proverbs 10:29; Proverbs 21:15, מֹּעֲלֵי רָע Micah 2:1; rarely of doing right, with accusative מִשְׁמָּטוֺ Zephaniah 2:3, צֶדֶק Psalm 15:2. c. of clouds, with accusative Job 37:12 (disregarding ֑֯). 2 make; a. of God, with accusative concrete Exodus 15:17; + ל of thing Proverbs 16:4, ל of 2nd object Psalm 7:16; מֹּעֲלִי Job 36:3 my Maker. b. of man, with accusative concrete Isaiah 44:12,15; accusative omitted Isaiah 44:12; Psalm 7:16. — Isaiah 1:31 see מֹּעַל. Topical Lexicon Overviewפָעַל (paʿal) appears roughly fifty-six times and conveys purposeful action—doing, making, producing, accomplishing. Because the same verb describes God’s mighty deeds, the craftsman’s labor, and the plots of evildoers, it serves as a window into the Bible’s theology of work: acts reveal character. The Works of the LORD • Perfect and Just “The Rock—His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Divine paʿal is flawless, righteous, and covenant-faithful. • Redemptive and Mighty “See what God has done!” (Numbers 23:23). From the Exodus to the conquest, His acts define Israel’s history and identity. • Creative and Sustaining “O LORD, how manifold are Your works!” (Psalm 104:24). Creation’s order and beauty are ongoing expressions of His working. • Grounds for Worship and Testimony “One generation will declare Your works to the next” (Psalm 145:4). Remembering His deeds shapes Israel’s praise and pedagogy. Human Works That Please God • Covenant Response “Fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully, considering what great things He has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24). Gratitude for divine paʿal motivates obedient human paʿal. • Skillful Labor Isaiah 44:12 pictures the blacksmith who “works the coals.” Craftsmanship, though misdirected toward idolatry here, witnesses to God-given skill that can honor Him. • Righteous Fruit “The work of righteousness will be peace” (Isaiah 32:17). God-centered deeds build shalom in community life. Workers of Iniquity Psalms and Job often speak of “workers of iniquity” (e.g., Psalm 6:8; Job 34:8). Persistent evil deeds re-fashion identity: the sinner becomes a “worker” of wickedness. Scripture warns and comforts—God will “repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands” (Jeremiah 25:14). Wisdom Reflections Job probes the mystery: “Will You not look away from me long enough to swallow my spit?” (Job 7:19). Yet Elihu affirms, “The Almighty will not pervert justice” (Job 34:12). Meditation on God’s works stabilizes faith amid suffering: “I meditate on all Your works; I ponder the work of Your hands” (Psalm 143:5). Prophetic and Eschatological Vision Prophets contrast God’s works with idols’ impotence (Isaiah 41:29). The climax awaits the new creation: “My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands” (Isaiah 65:22). Human labor will finally resonate with divine perfection. Christological Fulfillment Isaiah’s Servant “brings forth justice” (Isaiah 42:1). Jesus echoes: “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). His finished work on the cross completes the pattern of redemptive paʿal and secures a people “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Ministry Significance 1. Proclamation: preaching recounts God’s mighty works to evoke faith (Acts 2:11). Representative References Numbers 23:23; Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Samuel 12:24; Job 34:11; Psalm 28:4-5; Psalm 92:4; Psalm 145:4; Isaiah 32:17; Isaiah 44:12; Jeremiah 25:14; Lamentations 3:64; Micah 7:13; Habakkuk 3:2. Summary פָעַל gathers Scripture’s witness that deeds disclose identity. God’s flawless works invite trust and praise; human works are summoned to align with His, warning against iniquity and promising lasting blessing to those who live and labor in covenant faithfulness. Forms and Transliterations אֶפְעַ֖ל אֶפְעַ֨ל ׀ אפעל וַיִּפְעָלֵ֙הוּ֙ וּ֝לְפֹעֲלִ֗י וּפָעַל֙ וּפֹ֥עֲלֵי וּפֹעֵ֥ל ויפעלהו ולפעלי ופעל ופעלי יִּפְעַ֖ל יִפְעַל־ יִפְעָֽל׃ יפעל יפעל־ יפעל׃ לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי לפעלי מִפֹּ֣עֲלֵי מפעלי פָּ֖עַל פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי פָּ֭עַלְתָּ פָּעַ֖לְתָּ פָּעַ֣ל פָּעַ֥ל פָּעַ֥לְתָּ פָּעָ֑לוּ פָּעָֽל׃ פָעֲל֖וּ פָעֲל֣וּ פָעַ֣ל פָעַ֥לְתִּי פֹּ֣עֲלֵי פֹּ֤עֲלֵ֫י פֹּ֥עֲלֵי פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י פֹּֽעֲלֵי־ פֹּעֲלֵ֣י פֹּעֵ֣ל פֹּעֵ֥ל פעל פעל׃ פעלו פעלי פעלי־ פעלת פעלתי תִּפְעָ֑ל תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּן תִּפְעָל־ תפעל תפעל־ תפעלון ’ep̄‘al ’ep̄·‘al efAl faAl faAlti faaLu lə·p̄ō·‘ă·lê leFoalei ləp̄ō‘ălê mip·pō·‘ă·lê mippō‘ălê mipPoalei pā‘al pā‘āl p̄ā‘al pā‘altā pā‘altî p̄ā‘altî pā‘ālū p̄ā‘ălū pā·‘ā·lū p̄ā·‘ă·lū pā·‘al pā·‘āl p̄ā·‘al pā·‘al·tā pā·‘al·tî p̄ā·‘al·tî Paal paAlta paAlti paAlu pō‘ălê pō‘ălê- pō‘êl pō·‘ă·lê pō·‘ă·lê- pō·‘êl Poalei poEl tifAl tifALun tifol tip̄‘āl tip̄‘āl- tip̄‘ālūn tip̄·‘ā·lūn tip̄·‘āl tip̄·‘āl- ū·lə·p̄ō·‘ă·lî ū·p̄ā·‘al ū·p̄ō·‘ă·lê ū·p̄ō·‘êl ufaAl uFoalei ufoEl ulefoaLi ūləp̄ō‘ălî ūp̄ā‘al ūp̄ō‘ălê ūp̄ō‘êl vaiyifaLehu way·yip̄·‘ā·lê·hū wayyip̄‘ālêhū yifAl yip̄‘al yip̄‘āl yip̄‘al- yip̄·‘al yip̄·‘āl yip̄·‘al-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 15:17 HEB: מָכ֧וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ פָּעַ֖לְתָּ יְהוָ֑ה מִקְּדָ֕שׁ NAS: O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling, KJV: O LORD, [which] thou hast made for thee to dwell in, INT: the place your dwelling have made LORD the sanctuary Numbers 23:23 Deuteronomy 32:27 Job 7:20 Job 11:8 Job 22:17 Job 31:3 Job 33:29 Job 34:8 Job 34:22 Job 34:32 Job 35:6 Job 36:3 Job 36:23 Psalm 5:5 Psalm 6:8 Psalm 7:13 Psalm 7:15 Psalm 11:3 Psalm 14:4 Psalm 15:2 Psalm 28:3 Psalm 31:19 Psalm 36:12 Psalm 44:1 56 Occurrences |
    |