Lexical Summary
paal: To do, make, perform, work
Original Word:פָעַל
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:pa`al
Pronunciation:pah-ahl
Phonetic Spelling:(paw-al')
KJV: commit, (evil-) do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er)
NASB:do, workers, done, work, made, did, doers
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise
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
Definitiondo, make
NASB Translationaccomplish (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
57 (in poetry for ) (Late Hebrew
workman, compare Jewish-Aramaic; Phoenician = Biblical Hebrew (often); Arabic
id.; Old Aramaic; ; Syriac in derived species and derivatives ); —
Perfect3masculine singularDeuteronomy 32:27 +,Numbers 23:23, 2masculine singularExodus 15:17 +, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularJob 22:17 +; 2 masculine singularJob 35:6, etc.;Infinitive constructJob 37:12 (see below);Participle activePsalm 15:2+, plural constructPsalm 5:6 +, etc.; —
do:
(abstract)Numbers 23:23;Deuteronomy 32:27;Job 33:29,Psalm 74:12; + personPsalm 31:20;Psalm 68:29;Isaiah 26:12;Job 22:17; with accusative of congnate meaning with verbPsalm 44:2;Habakkuk 1:5; accusative omittedIsaiah 43:13, compareIsaiah 41:4.
Psalm 11:3;Job 11:8, + person (God)Job 7:20, + person (God)Job 35:6; especially of doing evil,Hosea 7:1,Job 34:32,Job 36:23;Psalm 58:3;Psalm 119:3,Proverbs 30:20, especiallyHosea 6:8;Isaiah 31:2;Job 31:3;Job 34:8,22;Psalm 5:6 15t. in Psalms,Proverbs 10:29;Proverbs 21:15,Micah 2:1; rarely of doing right, with accusativeZephaniah 2:3,Psalm 15:2.
Job 37:12 (disregarding ).
make;
Exodus 15:17; + of thingProverbs 16:4, of 2nd objectPsalm 7:16;Job 36:3my Maker.
Isaiah 44:12,15; accusative omittedIsaiah 44:12;Psalm 7:16. —Isaiah 1:31 see .
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).
2. Discipleship: believers learn to “commit your works to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:3).
3. Accountability: because judgment is “according to what his hands have done” (Job 34:11), pastoral care must unite grace with a call to holiness.
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-
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