פָּעַל (pa.al)
pa.al
to work
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 42 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pa'al means to do or make, serving as a poetic alternative to the more common 'asah. It appears forty-two times in the Old Testament, concentrated heavily in Psalms, Job, and Isaiah. The word describes deliberate action, whether it is God creating the world or humans carrying out specific tasks.
A key nuance lies in its use for divine activity versus human effort. In Psalm 74:12 and Isaiah 43:13, it highlights God as the one who acts with power and authority. Conversely, in Job 11:8 and Psalm 11:3, it asks what humans can achieve against such power. This contrast underscores the difference between human limitation and divine sovereignty.
The term also appears in contexts of moral action. Passages like Psalm 5:5 and Psalm 92:7 refer to "workers" of wickedness, linking the verb to ethical conduct. Translators often render it as "do," "make," or "work," depending on whether the focus is on creation, routine activity, or moral behavior.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word pa'al describes deliberate action, whether it is God creating the world or humans carrying out specific tasks. In Psalm 74:12, we see this power at work as the text declares God is "working salvation throughout the earth." This reminds us that our lives are held by a sovereign who acts with purpose and authority.
When we face uncertainty, like the psalmist in Psalm 11:3 asking what the righteous can do when foundations crumble, pa'al helps us understand our place. We are not called to control outcomes but to trust the One who does all things. Our efforts matter, yet they rest securely in His hands.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 42 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [those who] do9×
- you have done2×
- to/ [those who] do2×
- they do2×
- he makes2×
- doers of2×
- I have done2×
- you have made1×
- will you do1×
- will he do1×
- to/ do/ they1×
- they have done1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פֹּ֥עֲלֵי4×
- פֹּ֣עֲלֵי4×
- לְ/פֹ֣עֲלֵי3×
- פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י2×
- פָּעַ֥לְתָּ2×
- יִפְעַל\־2×
- תִּפְעָל\־1×
- תִּפְעָ֑ל1×
- פֹּעֵ֥ל1×
- פֹּעֵ֣ל1×
- פֹּעֲלֵ֣י1×
- פֹּֽעֲלֵי\־1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 74:12
Yet God is my King of old, working salvation throughout the earth.
This verse uses pa'al to highlight God's active role in bringing salvation, emphasizing divine sovereignty over human history.
-
Psalms 11:3
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Here the word questions human capability against overwhelming odds, contrasting limited human action with God's ultimate control.
-
Job 34:8
who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?
The term appears in a rhetorical question about associating with evildoers, linking moral conduct to the nature of one's actions.