מַעֲשֶׂה233 H4639
Deed, work, craftsmanship; spanning artisan handiwork, productive labor, human conduct, divine acts, and agricultural yield
Ma'aseh derives from the root 'asah 'to do, make' and covers the full spectrum from divine creation to human craftsmanship to moral conduct. The tabernacle instructions are saturated with it — every woven curtain, hammered lampstand, and embroidered screen is described as ma'aseh (Exod 26-28). Yet the same word indicts human wickedness when Ezra confesses 'our evil ma'asim' (Ezr 9:13). Arabic distributes this across san'ah (craft), 'amal (labor), and fi'l (deed), while Korean uses jag-pum for products and haeng-wi for conduct. The word's range reveals a culture that saw continuity between making things and doing things — all purposeful human activity under one roof.
Senses
1. [split] craftsmanship, workmanship — Craftsmanship or workmanship — the skill, technique, or manufactured product of artisan labor. Dominant in the Exodus tabernacle instructions (93x): the curtains are 'the work of a skillful workman' (Exod 26:1, 31), the altar grating is 'network of bronze' (Exod 27:4), and priestly garments require 'the work of an embroiderer' (Exod 28:6). Arabic san'ah and Korean sol-ssi/jag-pum confirm the artisanal, product-focused semantics. The phrase ma'aseh yadayim 'work of hands' often denotes idols in prophetic polemic (Isa 2:8; Jer 1:16). 0×
AR["صَنعَةَ", "صَنعَةُ", "صُنعَ", "صُنْعِ", "عَمَلَ"]·ben["কাজ"]·DE["Werk", "Werk-von"]·EN["work-of"]·FR["travail-de"]·heb["מעשה"]·HI["काम", "कारीगरी", "कार्य", "बना-हुआ"]·ID["buatan", "pekerjaan"]·IT["opera-di"]·jav["Pandamelan", "damelaning", "padamelanipun", "pakaryaning", "pandamelan"]·KO["솜씨", "솜씨로", "솜씨를", "작품"]·PT["Obra-de", "obra-de", "obra-de-"]·RU["Работой", "действие", "изделие", "работой", "работою", "работы"]·ES["Obra-de", "la-obra-de", "obra-de"]·SW["kazi", "kazi-ya-", "ya-Pharaoh"]·TR["-işini", "isi", "işi"]·urd["بنا-ہوا", "کام"]
Gen 40:17, Exod 26:1, Exod 26:31, Exod 26:36, Exod 27:4, Exod 27:16, Exod 28:6, Exod 28:11, Exod 28:14, Exod 28:15, Exod 28:22, Exod 28:32 (+38 more)
1. tabernacle craftsmanship (sacred artisan work) — Split from sense 113225. Criteria: Technical artisan work on sanctuary objects: curtains, altar, priestly garments; 'work of a skillful workman' formulas in Exodus tabernacle instructions 80×
AR["صَنعَةَ", "صَنعَةُ", "صُنعَ", "صُنْعِ", "عَمَلَ"]·ben["কাজ"]·DE["Werk", "Werk-von"]·EN["work-of"]·FR["travail-de"]·heb["מעשה"]·HI["काम", "कारीगरी", "कार्य", "बना-हुआ"]·ID["buatan", "pekerjaan"]·IT["opera-di"]·jav["Pandamelan", "damelaning", "padamelanipun", "pakaryaning", "pandamelan"]·KO["솜씨", "솜씨로", "솜씨를", "작품"]·PT["Obra-de", "obra-de", "obra-de-"]·RU["Работой", "действие", "изделие", "работой", "работою", "работы"]·ES["Obra-de", "la-obra-de", "obra-de"]·SW["kazi", "kazi-ya-", "ya-Pharaoh"]·TR["-işini", "isi", "işi"]·urd["بنا-ہوا", "کام"]
Gen 40:17, Exod 26:1, Exod 26:31, Exod 26:36, Exod 27:4, Exod 27:16, Exod 28:6, Exod 28:11, Exod 28:14, Exod 28:15, Exod 28:22, Exod 28:32 (+38 more)
2. work, labor, task — Work, labor, or task as productive activity — the effort, occupation, or undertaking itself rather than its product. Anchors the Sabbath framework: 'six days you shall do your work' (Exod 23:12). Covers harvest labor ('the work of your hands,' Exod 23:16), Deuteronomy's blessings on enterprise (Deut 14:29; 16:15; 24:19), and post-exilic rebuilding efforts. Arabic 'amal 'labor' and Swahili kazi 'work' mark generic productive activity. Distinguished from sense 1 by focusing on the process rather than the product. 75×
AR["أَتَ", "العَمَلِ", "الْعَمَلَ", "بِ-عَمَلِ", "بِعَمَلِ", "بِـ-عَمَلِ", "تَحْتَ", "عَمَلٍ", "كُلِّ-", "مَعَسِه", "وَ-عَمَلَ", "وَ-عَمَلُ", "وَصُنْعُ"]·ben["-এবং-কর্ম", "-কাজে", "আর-কাজ", "ও-কাজ", "কাজ", "কাজ-", "কাজে", "কাজে-", "কাজের", "কাজের-দিকে"]·DE["Werk", "bei-Werk-von", "der-Werk", "durch-Werk-von", "in-Werk", "und-von-tat", "von-machte", "von-tat"]·EN["and-the-work-of", "and-work-of", "by-work-of", "the-work", "work"]·FR["dans-œuvre", "et-oeuvre", "et-œuvre", "le-œuvre", "oeuvre", "par-oeuvre-de", "par-œuvre-de", "œuvre"]·heb["ב-מעשה", "ה-מעשה", "ו-מעשה", "מעשה"]·HI["और-काम", "और-कार्य", "कार्य", "कार्य-की", "कार्य-के-लिए", "कार्य-को", "कार्य-पर", "कार्यों-से", "में-काम", "में-कार्य", "से-कर्म"]·ID["dan-buatan", "dan-pekerjaan", "dengan-pekerjaan", "dengan-perbuatan", "pekerjaan"]·IT["da-opera-di", "e-da-fece", "e-opera", "il-opera", "in-opera", "opera"]·jav["kaliyan-padamelan", "kanthi-pakaryan", "lan-damelaning-tangan", "lan-dédamel", "lan-padamelan", "lan-pakaryan", "mawi-pandamelipun", "padamelan", "pakaryan", "pakaryan-punika", "saking-pakaryan"]·KO["그-행위를", "그리고-만든-것이여", "그리고-일-의", "그리고-일을", "그리고-일이", "에-의-작품으로", "에-행위(접)", "에-행위로-", "일", "일을", "작품으로", "행위", "행위-그", "행위-그의"]·PT["a-obra", "com-obra-de", "com-obra-de-", "e-ação-de", "e-obra-de", "obra"]·RU["дела", "дела,", "делами", "деле", "дело", "дело,", "делом", "делу,", "деяния", "и-дело", "и-дело-", "и-делом", "и-деяние"]·ES["con-la-obra-de", "con-obra-de", "la-obra", "obra", "y-la-obra-de", "y-obra-de", "y-trabajo-de"]·SW["kazi", "kwa-kazi-ya", "maasheh", "na-kazi", "na-kazi-ya", "tendo", "wa-kazi"]·TR["de-işi", "is", "isi", "isin", "işinde-", "işiyle", "işte", "ve-eylemini", "ve-isi", "ve-isni-", "ve-işi"]·urd["اور-بنایا-ہوا", "اور-کاریگری", "اور-کام", "سے-کام", "کام", "کام-سے", "کام-میں", "کام-کو", "کام-کی", "کاموں-سے"]
Exod 23:12, Exod 23:16, Exod 23:16, Deut 11:7, Deut 31:29, Josh 24:31, Judg 2:7, Judg 2:10, 1 Kgs 16:7, 2 Kgs 22:17, 1 Chr 9:31, 1 Chr 23:28 (+38 more)
3. deed, act, conduct — Deed, act, or conduct subject to moral evaluation — human behavior judged as righteous or wicked. Joseph accuses his brothers: 'What deed is this you have done?' (Gen 44:15). The Exodus covenant demands 'you shall not do according to their deeds' (Exod 23:24). Micah indicts Omri's 'ma'asim' as corrupt statecraft (Mic 6:16). Arabic fi'l/a'mal and Korean haeng-wi shift to ethical vocabulary, confirming the moral-evaluation register. This sense carries the weight of covenant accountability throughout the Deuteronomistic history. 44×
AR["أعْمالَكَ", "أَعمالَهُم", "أَعْمَالُهُ", "أَعْمَالُهُمْ", "أَعْمَالِهِمْ", "الأَعْمَالِ", "الـ-أَعْمَالِ", "الـ-عَمَلِ", "الْ-عَمَلُ", "الْأَعْمَالِ", "الْعَمَلَ", "عَلَى-أَعْمَالِكِ", "عَمَلَ", "عَمَلِ", "مَعَسِيكَ"]·ben["-কাজগুলি", "কাজ", "কাজগুলি", "কাজগুলির", "কাজসমূহে-তোমার", "তাদের-কর্ম", "তাদের-কাজ", "তাদের-কাজগুলি", "তাদের-কাজসমূহ", "তার-কাজগুলি", "তোমার-কাজগুলি", "তোমার-কাজে"]·DE["Tat", "Taten-sein", "Werk", "das-Werk", "der-Tat", "der-Taten", "ihr-Werk", "ihre-Werke", "von-machte", "von-tat"]·EN["are-their-works", "deed-of", "deeds-his", "in-your-works", "the-deed", "the-deeds", "the-work", "their-deeds", "their-works", "your-works"]·FR["actes-son", "de-il-a-fait", "de-œuvre", "le-acte", "le-actes", "le-travail", "leurs-œuvres", "oeuvre", "ton-œuvre-toi", "œuvre"]·heb["ב-מעשיך", "ה-מעשה", "ה-מעשים", "מעשׂיהם", "מעשה", "מעשי-הם", "מעשי-ו", "מעשיהם", "מעשיך"]·HI["उनके-काम", "उनके-कार्य", "उस्के-कअम", "काम", "काम-उनके", "कामों", "कामों-उनके।", "कार्य", "कार्य-उनके", "कार्यों", "कार्यों-उनके", "कार्यों-को", "तेरे-कार्यों", "में-तेरे-कामों", "ह-काम"]·ID["pada-perbuatanmu", "perbuatan", "perbuatan-itu", "perbuatan-perbuatan", "perbuatan-perbuatan-mereka", "perbuatan-perbuatanmu", "perbuatannya"]·IT["atti-suo", "il-atti", "il-atto", "il-deed", "l'-opera", "le-loro-opere", "opera", "opera-tuo"]·jav["Padamelan-ipun", "dhateng-pakaryanipun", "padamelan-ipun", "padamelan-panjenengan", "pakaryan", "pakaryan-ipun", "pakaryan-tiyang-punika", "pandamel", "pandamel-punika", "pandamelan", "pandamelipun", "sadaya", "tumindak", "tumindakipun"]·KO["그-행위들", "그-행위들을", "그-행위를", "그들-의-행위들-을", "그들-의-행위를", "그들의-행위가", "그들의-행위는", "그들의-행위들은", "그들의-행위를", "그들의-행위와", "그의-행위들이", "네-행위들에", "행위", "행위냐", "행위들-너의", "행위들-을-네", "행위를-"]·PT["a-ação", "a-obra", "as-obras", "em-tuas-obras", "feito-de", "obra-de-", "obras-deles", "obras-tuas", "suas-obras", "tuas-obras"]·RU["дела", "дела-его", "дела-их", "дела-твои", "делам", "делам-их", "делам-твоим.", "дело", "дело-", "деяние", "на-дела-твои"]·ES["el-hecho", "en-tus-obras", "la-obra", "las-obras", "obra-de", "obras-suyas", "obras-tus", "sus-obras", "tus-obras"]·SW["kazi-hizi-zote", "kazi-zako", "kazi-zao", "kufanya", "matendo", "matendo-hayo", "matendo-yake", "matendo-yao", "ya"]·TR["-de-işlerinde", "-eylem", "-işler", "bunları", "isleri", "islerini", "işi", "işleri", "işlerin-", "işlerini"]·urd["ال-کام", "اُس-کے-کام", "اُن-کے-کام", "اُن-کے-کاموں", "اُن-کے-کاموں-کو", "اُن-کے-کاموں-کے", "تیرے-کاموں-کو", "کام", "کام-اپنے", "کاموں", "کاموں-تیرے-میں"]
Gen 20:9, Gen 44:15, Exod 18:20, Exod 23:24, Lev 18:3, Lev 18:3, Num 16:28, Deut 11:3, Deut 15:10, 1 Sam 8:8, 1 Sam 19:4, 1 Kgs 13:11 (+32 more)
4. works of God — The works or mighty acts of God — divine activity in creation, providence, and salvation history. Psalmic doxology celebrates: 'how great are your works!' (Ps 92:5; 104:24). Moses declares no god can match God's ma'asim (Deut 3:24). The phrase ma'aseh YHWH 'the work of the LORD' (Isa 5:12; 28:21) denotes God's sovereign intervention. Korean ju-ui eob-jeok-deul 'the Lord's achievements' and Arabic a'mal Allah 'works of God' mark the theological register. Distinguished from human deeds by the divine agent and the doxological context. 18×
AR["أعْمالَكَ", "أَعمال", "أَعمالَ", "أَعمالَكَ", "أَعمالَهُ", "أَعمالِكَ", "أَعمالِهِ", "أَعْمَالَكَ", "أَعْمَالُكَ", "أَعْمَالِكَ", "بِأَعمال", "صُنْعِهِ", "كَأَفْعَالِكَ", "مِثْلَ-أَعْمَالِكَ"]·ben["কাজ-তোমার,", "কাজগুলি", "তাঁর-কাজ", "তাঁর-কাজগুলি", "তাঁর-কাজগুলির", "তোমার-কাজগুলি", "তোমার-কাজগুলি-কে", "তোমার-কাজগুলির-মতো", "তোমার-কাজগুলো", "তোমার-কাজের", "তোমার-কাজের-মত", "যাহের-কাজ"]·DE["Werk-", "dein-Werk", "der-Werk-", "sein-Werk", "wie-Dein-Taten", "wie-dein-Werk"]·EN["His-work", "His-works", "Your-works", "are-Your-works", "are-the-works-of", "his-works", "like-Your-deeds", "like-your-works", "the-works-of", "your-works"]·FR["comme-Ton-actes", "comme-œuvre", "de-œuvre"]·heb["כ-מעשיך", "מעשה-ו", "מעשי", "מעשיו", "מעשיך"]·HI["अपने-कार्यों-की", "उसके-कार्य", "उसके-कार्यों-को", "और--अद्भुतों-की-तरह", "कार्य", "कार्य-उसका", "कार्यों-को", "तेरे-कामों-के-समान", "तेरे-कार्य", "तेरे-कार्यों-की", "तेरे-कार्यों-के"]·ID["karya-Mu", "karya-karya", "karya-karya-Mu", "karya-karya-Nya", "perbuatan-Mu", "perbuatan-perbuatan-Mu", "perbuatan-perbuatan-Nya", "seperti-perbuatan-Mu"]·IT["come-Tuo-atti", "opera"]·jav["Pakaryan-pakaryané", "damelaning-Panjenengan", "kados-pakaryan-Panjenengan", "pakaryan", "pakaryan-Panjenengan", "pakaryan-pakaryané", "pakaryanipun", "pakaryané", "pandamelan-Panjenengan", "pandamelannipun"]·KO["그-의-행위-들-이여", "그-의-행위들-을", "그-의-행하신-일들-의", "그-의-행하심은", "당신-의-작품들-이", "당신-의-행위-들-의", "당신-의-행위-들-이", "당신-의-행함들-같은", "주-의-행위-들-이", "주의-업적들을", "주의-업적들이", "주의-행하심-같이", "행위들-을", "행하신-일들-은", "행하신-일들-을", "행하신-일들-이"]·PT["As-obras", "Suas-obras", "as-obras", "as-tuas-obras", "como-as-tuas-obras", "como-tuas-obras", "de-Suas-obras", "de-Tuas-obras", "sua-obra", "são-Tuas-obras", "são-as-obras", "são-as-tuas-obras", "são-tuas-obras", "tuas-obras"]·RU["-творения-Его", "Дела", "дел-Своих", "дел-Твоих", "дела", "дела-Его", "дела-Твои", "дело-Его", "как-дела-Твои"]·ES["Las-obras-de", "como-obras-de-ti", "como-tus-obras", "las-obras-de", "su-obra", "sus-obras", "tus-obras", "tus-obras!"]·SW["kama-matendo-yako", "kazi-yake", "kazi-yako", "kazi-zako", "mahali-pote", "matendo-ya", "matendo-yake", "matendo-yako", "uliyoyafanya"]·TR["işi-O'nun", "işleri", "işlerin", "işlerin-gibi", "işlerini", "işlerini-gibi", "işlerinin"]·urd["اس-کے-کامو", "اُس-کا-کام", "اُس-کے-کاموں", "اُس-کے-کاموں-کو", "اپنے-کاموں-کی", "تیرے-کام", "تیرے-کاموں", "تیرے-کاموں-کی", "تیرے-کاموں-کی-طرح", "تیرے-کاموں-کے", "جیسے-تیرے-کام", "کام"]
5. product, produce, yield — Product, produce, or yield — the concrete output or result of labor, emphasizing what is produced rather than how. Ezekiel lists Damascus trading in 'the product of your hands' (Ezek 27:16, 18). Habakkuk laments that the olive tree's ma'aseh fails (Hab 3:17). Isaiah's potter metaphor asks whether the thing made can say to its maker 'he did not make me' (Isa 29:16). Korean so-chul 'produce' and Arabic masnu' 'manufactured thing' confirm the resultative focus. This is the most concretely material sense of the word. 4×
AR["الْمَصْنُوعُ", "صَنَائِعِكِ", "عَمَلُ"]·ben["কাজ", "কাজ-", "তোমার-কাজের"]·DE["Werk", "von-machte"]·EN["of-its-maker", "the-produce-of-", "your-products"]·FR["de-il-a-fait", "oeuvre", "œuvre"]·heb["מעשה", "מעשה-", "מעשייך"]·HI["काम-", "कामों-तेरे-की", "रचना"]·ID["benda-buatan", "hasil-", "hasil-karyamu,", "hasil-karyamu;"]·IT["opera"]·jav["damelaning", "karya", "pandamel-panjenengan"]·KO["만든-것이", "소출-이", "작품들의-너의"]·PT["obra", "obra-de-", "tuas-obras"]·RU["дело", "изделие", "изделий-твоих"]·ES["el-producto-de-", "la-obra", "tus-obras"]·SW["kazi", "kazi-ya", "kazi-zako"]·TR["işi-", "işlerinin", "yapis"]·urd["بنایا-ہوا", "کاریگری-تیری", "کام"]
5. work of hands (idols, manufactured objects) — Split from sense 113225. Criteria: Polemic phrase ma'aseh yadayim denoting idols or human-made objects in prophetic critique (Isa 2:8; Jer 1:16) 13×
AR["صَنْعَةُ", "صُنع", "صُنعَ", "صُنْعَ", "صُنْعُ", "عَمَلَ", "عَمَلِ"]·ben["কাজ", "হাতের-কাজ"]·DE["Werk", "Werk-von", "der-Werk-", "von-machte"]·EN["a-work-of", "of-man", "the-work-of", "work-of"]·FR["de-faire", "de-il-a-fait", "oeuvre-de", "œuvre", "œuvre-de"]·heb["מעשה"]·HI["काम", "कारीगरी", "कारीगरों-का", "कार्य", "हाथों-से-बने"]·ID["buatan", "pekerjaan"]·IT["da-fece", "opera", "opera-di"]·jav["damelaning", "gawean", "padamelaning", "pakaryan", "pandamelan", "pandameling", "tangan"]·KO["(접)-손-의-작품", "만든-것", "만든-것-이라", "만든-것을", "만든-것이니", "작품-이라", "작품이", "작품이라", "행한-것이었다"]·PT["obra", "obra-de"]·RU["дело", "делу", "работа", "творение-"]·ES["obra", "obra-de"]·SW["kazi", "kazi-ya"]·TR["isine", "isler", "işi", "işi-", "yapımı"]·urd["بنائی-ہوئی", "بناوٹ", "کاریگروں-کا-کام", "کام", "کام-ہیں"]
6. sense 6 — An obscure or contextually ambiguous usage, as in 1 Samuel 20:19 where Jonathan tells David to go to 'the place where you hid on the day of the ma'aseh' — likely 'the affair' or 'the incident,' referring to a specific prior event. Spanish el asunto and German der Tat both translate as 'the matter/deed,' treating it as a particular past event rather than a general category. This rare contextual sense functions almost as a pronoun for a known incident. 1×
AR["الْعَمَلِ"]·ben["-সেই-কাজের"]·DE["der-Tat"]·EN["the-deed"]·FR["le-acte"]·heb["ה-מעשה"]·HI["कअम-के"]·ID["kerja"]·IT["il-atto"]·jav["padamelan"]·KO["그-사건의"]·PT["o-acontecimento"]·RU["дела"]·ES["el-asunto"]·SW["jambo"]·TR["olayın"]·urd["کام-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
מַעֲשֶׂה233 n.m. Gn 20:9 deed, work;—abs. מ׳ Gn 44:15 +, cstr. מַעֲשֵׂה Is 5:12 +; sf. מַעֲשֵׂהוּ Ju 13:12 +, etc.; pl. מַעֲשִׂים Gn 20:9 +; cstr. מַעֲשֵׂי Je 1:16 +; sf. מַעֲשָׂיו 1 S 19:4 (or sg., so Dr) +, etc.;—often acc. cogn. c. עשׂה;— 1. a. (1) deed, thing done by man Nu 16:28 (JE), 1 K 13:11; Is 26:12;—1 S 20:19 is obscure; (2) implic. evil Gn 44:15 (J), Ex 23:24 (E), Ne 6:14 + 8 times, +…