Lexical Summary
maaseh: Work, deed, act, labor, product, accomplishment
Original Word:מַעֲשֶׂה
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:ma`aseh
Pronunciation:mah-as-eh'
Phonetic Spelling:(mah-as-eh')
KJV: act, art, + bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well, ((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, -manship), wrought
NASB:work, works, deeds, workmanship, things, deed, design
Word Origin:[fromH6213 (עָשָׂה - To do)]
1. an action (good or bad)
2. (generally) a transaction
3. (abstractly) activity
4. (by implication) a product
5. (hence, generally) property
6. (hence, specifically) a poem
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
act, wrought
Fromasah; an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property -- act, art, + bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well, ((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.
see HEBREWasah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
asahDefinitiona deed, work
NASB Translationaccomplishments (1), achievements (1), act (1), act...did (1), actions (1), activities (2), activity (3), art (1), business (1), chainwork* (1), concern (1), conduct (1), deed (4), deeds (17), design (4), did (1), does (1), done (1), eventful (1), goods (2), just* (1), labors (2), made (2), occupation (2), practices (2), sculptured* (1), task (2), things (5), verses (1), vocation (1), what He has done (1), what is done (2), what is made (1), work (99), work quota (1), working (2), workmanship (10), works (42), wrought (1), yield (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
233Genesis 20:9 ; — absolute
Genesis 44:15 +, construct
Isaiah 5:12 +; suffix
Judges 13:12 +, etc.; plural
Genesis 20:9 +; construct
Jeremiah 1:16 +; suffix
1 Samuel 19:4 (or singular, so Dr) +, etc.; — often accusative of congnate meaning with verb with ; —
-1deed, thing done by manNumbers 16:28 (JE),1 Kings 13:11;Isaiah 26:12; —Exodus 23:16 (E),Genesis 5:29 (J),Judges 19:16,deed(s), work(s) of , especially in deliverance and in judgment,Judges 2:7,10;Joshua 24:31 (D),Psalm 33:4 21t., + etc.Isaiah 5:12;Psalm 28:5;Psalm 92:5 4t.; in GeneralEcclesiastes 7:13;Ecclesiastes 8:17;Ecclesiastes 11:5; compareEcclesiastes 3:11.
-1work, thing made, by man,Exodus 32:16 (E); especially (poetry and late), of created things,Psalm 103:22;Psalm 104:24 4t. Psalms;Psalm 8:4,Psalm 102:26 (both of heavens), comparePsalm 19:2 (heavenly bodies),Psalm 8:7 (animals); of manJob 14:15;Job 34:19, compareJob 37:7 (but read probably Ol Di and others); of nationIsaiah 19:25;Isaiah 60:21;Isaiah 64:7; of weightsProverbs 16:11 (but read perhaps ) for Gr Toy).
product of olive-tree,Habakkuk 3:17; figurativeproduct of righteousnessIsaiah 32:17.
Topical Lexicon
Range and DistributionMaăseh appears about 235 times, spread throughout the Law, Prophets, and Writings. It gathers under one idea every kind of “doing” or “making,” whether divine or human, physical or moral. Because of its breadth, context determines whether it points to craftsmanship, ordinary labor, judicial conduct, ritual performance, or ethical behavior.
Divine Works: Foundation of Biblical Theology
1. Creation. The first great cluster concerns the work of God Himself.Ecclesiastes 3:11 marvels, “He has made everything beautiful in its time; He has also set eternity in the hearts of men—yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.” Every subsequent reference to maăseh, explicit or implied, draws theological heft fromGenesis 1–2.
2. Providence and Redemption.Psalm 111:2–3 places covenant history under the same heading: “Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are His deeds.”Exodus 34:10 uses the term for the miracles of the Exodus: “I will perform wonders never before done.” Divine maăseh is simultaneously creative, sustaining, and saving.
3. Judgment.Nahum 1:14 contrasts the permanence of God’s works with the demise of idolatrous makers: “I will prepare your grave, for you are contemptible.” Here maăseh stands behind the sweeping acts of divine retribution.
Human Labor and Skill
1. Craftsmanship. Detailed use appears in Exodus regarding the tabernacle: “Every skilled craftsman to whom the LORD has given skill and understanding to know how to perform every work of the service” (Exodus 36:1). Maăseh includes embroidery, metalwork, carpentry, and weaving—human imitation of divine creativity, yet submitted to covenant specification.
2. Agriculture and Vocation.Deuteronomy 14:29 blesses “the work of your hands” in the agrarian economy.Proverbs 12:14 promises that “the work of his hands will reward a man.” Maăseh therefore affirms ordinary occupations under God’s favor.
3. Royal and Civic Construction. Chronicles records Solomon’s extensive building efforts (2 Chronicles 8:16), calling the temple project a maăseh which the king completed because the LORD enabled him.
Moral Evaluation of Deeds
1. Positive righteous deeds.Psalm 15:2 describes the one “who walks with integrity and practices righteousness,” translating practice by maăseh. Works arise from covenant loyalty.
2. Sinful acts.Genesis 44:15 employs the word for Joseph’s accusation: “What deed is this you have done?” The pluriform use shows that technical or ordinary actions cannot be morally neutral—they stand either justified or condemned.
3. Judgment according to works.Job 34:11: “For according to a man’s deeds He repays him.” The prophetic literature builds on this principle (Jeremiah 17:10;Ezekiel 24:14).
Works in Covenant and Law
Maăseh supplies a legal backbone in the Pentateuch:
•Deuteronomy 32:4 celebrates the LORD: “His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice.”
•Deuteronomy 27–28 confronts Israel with blessings and curses “according to all their works.”
Thus the covenant stipulates accountability in every deed.
Prophetic Assessment of Works
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel expose Israel’s idolatrous works in contrast to God’s works.Isaiah 2:8 laments, “Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands.” Prophets also hold out hope of renewed works in a restored community (Isaiah 65:22).
Worship and Ritual Works
Leviticus 23:28 uses the term for labor forbidden on the Day of Atonement. While ordinary works cease, priestly service continues, underscoring that atonement is God’s work, not human.
Wisdom Tradition on Works
Proverbs synthesizes diligence and morality:
•Proverbs 16:3: “Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.”
• Ecclesiastes wrestles with the limits of human toil (Ecclesiastes 2:11) yet concludes that fearing God gives lasting value to one’s works (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
Eschatological and Messianic Trajectory
Psalm 143:5 links past divine works to eschatological hope: “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works.”Isaiah 52:10 anticipates the climactic “holy arm” revealed in the sight of all nations—a work fulfilled ultimately in the Messiah. The New Testament, while using Greek terminology, mirrors this backdrop when speaking of faith and works (for example,Ephesians 2:10), implicitly drawing from the Hebrew maăseh tradition.
Ministry and Discipleship Implications
1. Worship. Reflecting on God’s works fuels reverence (Psalm 92:4). Corporate liturgy should recount creation, providence, and redemption as unified acts of God.
2. Vocational Stewardship.Exodus 31 models Spirit-empowered craftsmanship. Believers employ skills not merely to earn wages but to adorn God’s dwelling in the world.
3. Ethical Living. Because deeds will be weighed (Proverbs 24:12), every ministry must cultivate holiness not only in doctrine but in practice.
4. Mission.Psalm 96:3 commands, “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all peoples.” Gospel proclamation follows the Old Testament pattern of rehearsing the mighty works of God.
5. Dependence on Grace. Although Scripture honors righteous deeds, it equally exposes their insufficiency apart from divine mercy (Isaiah 64:6). Ministry must therefore exalt the finished work of God while urging transformed works as evidence of faith.
Summary
Maăseh threads through the Old Testament as a comprehensive descriptor of action. From the grandeur of creation to the ordinary tasks of daily life, from covenant obedience to prophetic indictment, the term captures an entire theology of work. The biblical message culminates in calling God’s people to behold His perfect works, rest in His redemptive deeds, and mirror His character through Spirit-enabled labor, all to the glory of the One whose work endures forever.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖י בְּֽמַעֲשָׂ֔יו בְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֙ינוּ֙ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣י בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה בְּמַעֲשַׂ֙יִךְ֙ בְּמַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ בְמַעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם במעשה במעשי במעשיהם במעשיו במעשיו׃ במעשיך במעשינו הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֔ים הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֖ים הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֑ה הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛ה הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ הַמַּֽעֲשִׂ֥ים הַמַּעֲשִׂ֣ים הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה המעשה המעשים וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥הוּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה וּמַ֣עֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֔ה וּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙ וּמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֤ה וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ וכמעשה ומעשה ומעשהו ומעשהו׃ ומעשיהם כְּֽמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃ כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה֙ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ֒ כְּמַעֲשָׂ֣יו כְמַעֲשֶׂ֖יךָ כַּמַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה כמעשה כמעשהו כמעשהו׃ כמעשיהם כמעשיו כמעשיך כמעשיך׃ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה לְמַעֲשֵׂ֑הוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה לְמַעֲשֵׂ֤ה לְמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה לְמַעֲשֵׂ֥י למעשה למעשהו למעשי מִֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֙נוּ֙ מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ מַ֣עֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם מַ֭עֲשָׂיו מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶ֑ם מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶֽם׃ מַֽעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י מַֽעֲשֵׂי־ מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶֽם׃ מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ מַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה מַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה מַֽעֲשָׂיו֙ מַעֲשִׂים֙ מַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃ מַעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה מַעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ מַעֲשֵׂ֖י מַעֲשֵׂ֖ינוּ מַעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֛ה מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה מַעֲשֵׂ֣י מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה מַעֲשֵׂ֤הוּ מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה מַעֲשֵׂה־ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם מַעֲשֵׂיהֶֽם׃ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶֽם׃ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם֙ מַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ מַעֲשֶׂ֑ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ מַעֲשֶׂ֔ךָ מַעֲשֶׂ֖יךָ מַעֲשֶׂ֞ה מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ מַעֲשַׂ֖יִךְ מַעֲשַׂ֣י מַעֲשַׂי֙ מַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ מַעֲשָׂ֑י מַעֲשָׂ֑יִךְ מַעֲשָׂ֑יו מַעֲשָׂ֔יו מַעֲשָׂ֖יו מַעֲשָׂ֗יו מַעֲשָׂ֣יו ממעשיו ממעשנו מעשה מעשה־ מעשה׃ מעשהו מעשהו׃ מעשי מעשי־ מעשיה׃ מעשיהם מעשיהם׃ מעשיו מעשיו׃ מעשיך מעשיך׃ מעשיכם מעשיכם׃ מעשים מעשינו מעשך bə·ma·‘ă·śa·yiḵ bə·ma·‘ă·śāw bə·ma·‘ă·śê bə·ma·‘ă·śê·hem ḇə·ma·‘ă·śê·hem bə·ma·‘ă·śê·nū bə·ma·‘ă·śêh bəma‘ăśāw bəma‘ăśayiḵ bəma‘ăśê bəma‘ăśêh bəma‘ăśêhem ḇəma‘ăśêhem bəma‘ăśênū bemaaSav bemaaSayich bemaaSeh bemaaSei bemaaseiHem bemaaSeinu chemaaSeicha ham·ma·‘ă·śeh ham·ma·‘ă·śîm hamma‘ăśeh hamma‘ăśîm hammaaSeh hammaaSim kam·ma·‘ă·śeh kamma‘ăśeh kammaaSeh kə·ma·‘ă·śāw kə·ma·‘ă·śê·hem kə·ma·‘ă·śê·hū kə·ma·‘ă·śe·ḵā ḵə·ma·‘ă·śe·ḵā kə·ma·‘ă·śêh kəma‘ăśāw kəma‘ăśêh kəma‘ăśêhem kəma‘ăśêhū kəma‘ăśeḵā ḵəma‘ăśeḵā kemaaSav kemaaSeh kemaaSehu KemaaSeicha kemaaseiHem lə·ma·‘ă·śê lə·ma·‘ă·śê·hū lə·ma·‘ă·śêh ləma‘ăśê ləma‘ăśêh ləma‘ăśêhū lemaaSeh lemaaSehu lemaaSei ma‘ăśāw ma‘ăśay ma‘ăśāy ma‘ăśayiḵ ma‘ăśāyiḵ ma‘ăśê ma‘ăśê- ma‘ăśeh ma‘ăśêh ma‘ăśêh- ma‘ăśehā ma‘ăśêhem ma‘ăśêhū ma‘ăśeḵā ma‘ăśêḵem ma‘ăśênū ma‘ăśîm ma·‘ă·śa·yiḵ ma·‘ă·śā·yiḵ ma·‘ă·śāw ma·‘ă·śay ma·‘ă·śāy ma·‘ă·śê ma·‘ă·śê- ma·‘ă·śe·hā ma·‘ă·śê·hem ma·‘ă·śê·hū ma·‘ă·śe·ḵā ma·‘ă·śê·ḵem ma·‘ă·śê·nū ma·‘ă·śeh ma·‘ă·śêh ma·‘ă·śêh- ma·‘ă·śîm maaSai maaSav maaSayich maaSecha maaSeh maaSehu maaSei maaSeicha maaseiChem maaSeiha maaseiHem maaSeinu maaSim mim·ma·‘ă·śāw mim·ma·‘ă·śê·nū mimaaSav mimaaSenu mimma‘ăśāw mimma‘ăśênū ū·ḵə·ma·‘ă·śêh ū·ma·‘ă·śê·hem ū·ma·‘ă·śê·hū ū·ma·‘ă·śêh uchemaaSeh ūḵəma‘ăśêh ūma‘ăśêh ūma‘ăśêhem ūma‘ăśêhū umaaSeh umaaSehu umaaseiHem vemaaseiHem
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