פָּעַל (H6466) — Hebrew Lexicon

פָּעַל

𐤐𐤏𐤋

pâʻal

H6466 verb

SILEX Entry

Root פעל to do, to act, to accomplish, to effect

Definition

To do, perform, or accomplish, with an emphasis on intentional, effective action. The verb often connotes achievement or the successful bringing about of an activity, sometimes with a sense of established practice, effect, or habitual action. It can refer to a wide variety of deeds, both positive and negative, depending on context. Distinct from more general terms for 'doing,' פָּעַל frequently carries the nuance of purposeful accomplishment or skilled activity.

Semantic Range

to perform, accomplish, carry out, practice (as a habitual activity), commit (especially evil), produce, work as artisan or craftsman, act with effect, create, instigate, ordain, worker (participle), doer

Root / Etymology

The root פָּעַל (פע״ל) conveys the general notion of 'to do' or 'to act.' פָּעַל as a verb draws from this root, with a focus on intentional or effective action. The derived noun פֹּעַל ('work, deed') retains this sense. The root often implies result or outcome of action, distinguishing it from other roots of similar meaning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פָּעַל is attested throughout the Hebrew Bible, including legal, poetic, and prophetic literature. It usually appears in contexts emphasizing the result or skill of the action, such as 'deeds' of a person or the creative 'work' of the deity. While sometimes translated similarly to עָשָׂה (to make/do) or עָבַד (to serve/labor), פָּעַל can carry a more specialized sense of accomplished or effective work. In post-biblical Hebrew, פָּעַל develops semantically to become the label for the most common verb conjugation form (Qal/Pa'al), but this is a grammatical usage unrelated to its biblical lexical meaning. English translations sometimes obscure its nuance, rendering it simply as 'do' or 'work,' but the word can convey a sense of established practice or purposeful achievement, particularly in poetic or wisdom literature. It is used for both positive and negative actions (e.g., 'workers of iniquity'), depending on context. In later Jewish exegetical tradition, distinctions were sometimes made between פָּעַל, עָשָׂה, and עָבַד, but in the Hebrew Bible, the overlap is substantial and often determined by literary style.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise; commit, (evil-) do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er).

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Root Family

פעל (p-ʿ-l) — to do, to act, to accomplish, to effect

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4659	מִפְעָל	his deeds
H508	אֶלְפַּעַל	God-acts
H6467	פֹּעַל	in their deed
H6468	פְּעֻלָּה	wage of
H6469	פְּעֻלְּתַי	Work-of-Yah

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H6466-11`	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of	19
`H6466-08`	פָּעַ֖לְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	You have done	you accomplished	6
`H6466-20`	יִפְעַל	yifeal	`HVqi3ms`	he-makes	he will accomplish	5
`H6466-07`	פָּ֖עַל	paal	`HVqp3ms`	can he do	he accomplished	4
`H6466-05`	לְ/פֹ֣עֲלֵי	lefoaley	`HR/Vqrmpc`	to workers	to doers of	3
`H6466-12`	פֹּעֵ֣ל	poel	`HVqrmsa`	is working	the accomplishing-one	2
`H6466-01`	אֶפְעַ֖ל	efeal	`HVqi1cs`	I act	I accomplish	2
`H6466-04`	פָעֲל֖וּ	faalu	`HVqp3cp`	do	they accomplished	2
`H6466-13`	תִּפְעָ֑ל	tifeal	`HVqi2ms`	can you do	you will accomplish	2
`H6466-15`	וּ/פָעַל֙	ufaal	`HC/Vqp3ms`	and-works	and he accomplished	1
`H6466-02`	פָעַ֣ל	faal	`HVqp3ms`	has performed	he accomplished	1
`H6466-14`	תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּ/ן	tifealun	`HVqi2mp/Sn`	you work	you accomplish	1
`H6466-09`	פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי	paaleti	`HVqp1cs`	I have done	I have accomplished	1
`H6466-18`	וּ֝/לְ/פֹעֲלִ֗/י	ulefoali	`HC/R/Vqrmsc/Sp1cs`	to my Maker	and to my accomplisher	1
`H6466-19`	וַ/יִּפְעָלֵ֨/הוּ֙	vayifealehu	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms`	and-works-it	and he accomplished it	1
`H6466-03`	פָעַ֥לְתִּי	faaleti	`HVqp1cs`	I have done	I accomplished	1
`H6466-16`	וּ/פֹ֥עֲלֵי	ufoaley	`HC/Vqrmpc`	and who work	and accomplishers of	1
`H6466-17`	וּ/פֹעֵ֥ל	ufoel	`HC/Vqrmsa`	and works	and the accomplishing one	1
`H6466-06`	מִ/פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	mipoaley	`HR/Vqrmpc`	from workers of	from purposeful doers of	1
`H6466-10`	פָּעָ֑לוּ	paalu	`HVqp3cp`	have done	they accomplished	1

Occurrences in Scripture

56 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H6466-08`	Exodus 15:17	פָּעַ֖לְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	you have made	you accomplished
`H6466-07`	Numbers 23:23	פָּ֖עַל	paal	`HVqp3ms`	has he done	he accomplished
`H6466-07`	Deuteronomy 32:27	פָּעַ֥ל	paal	`HVqp3ms`	did	he accomplished
`H6466-08`	Isaiah 26:12	פָּעַ֥לְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	you have performed	you accomplished
`H6466-11`	Isaiah 31:2	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers	accomplishers of
`H6466-02`	Isaiah 41:4	פָעַ֣ל	faal	`HVqp3ms`	has performed	he accomplished
`H6466-01`	Isaiah 43:13	אֶפְעַ֖ל	efeal	`HVqi1cs`	I act	I accomplish
`H6466-15`	Isaiah 44:12	וּ/פָעַל֙	ufaal	`HC/Vqp3ms`	and-works	and he accomplished
`H6466-19`	Isaiah 44:12	וַ/יִּפְעָלֵ֨/הוּ֙	vayifealehu	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms`	and-works-it	and he accomplished it
`H6466-20`	Isaiah 44:15	יִפְעַל	yifeal	`HVqi3ms`	he-makes	he will accomplish
`H6466-11`	Hosea 6:8	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers-of	accomplishers of
`H6466-04`	Hosea 7:1	פָעֲל֖וּ	faalu	`HVqp3cp`	they commit	they accomplished
`H6466-16`	Micah 2:1	וּ/פֹ֥עֲלֵי	ufoaley	`HC/Vqrmpc`	and who work	and accomplishers of
`H6466-12`	Habakkuk 1:5	פֹּעֵ֣ל	poel	`HVqrmsa`	is working	the accomplishing-one
`H6466-10`	Zephaniah 2:3	פָּעָ֑לוּ	paalu	`HVqp3cp`	have done	they accomplished
`H6466-11`	Psalms 5:6	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 6:9	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers	accomplishers of
`H6466-20`	Psalms 7:14	יִפְעָֽל	yifeal	`HVqi3ms`	he-makes	he will accomplish
`H6466-20`	Psalms 7:16	יִפְעָֽל	yifeal	`HVqi3ms`	he made	he will accomplish
`H6466-07`	Psalms 11:3	פָּעָֽל	paal	`HVqp3ms`	can he do	he accomplished
`H6466-11`	Psalms 14:4	פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-17`	Psalms 15:2	וּ/פֹעֵ֥ל	ufoel	`HC/Vqrmsa`	and works	and the accomplishing one
`H6466-11`	Psalms 28:3	פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-08`	Psalms 31:20	פָּ֭עַלְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	you have worked	you accomplished
`H6466-11`	Psalms 36:13	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-08`	Psalms 44:2	פָּעַ֥לְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	you performed	you accomplished
`H6466-11`	Psalms 53:5	פֹּ֤עֲלֵ֫י	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-14`	Psalms 58:3	תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּ/ן	tifealun	`HVqi2mp/Sn`	you work	you accomplish
`H6466-06`	Psalms 59:3	מִ/פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	mipoaley	`HR/Vqrmpc`	from workers of	from purposeful doers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 64:3	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	of workers	accomplishers of
`H6466-08`	Psalms 68:29	פָּעַ֥לְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	you-have-wrought	you accomplished
`H6466-12`	Psalms 74:12	פֹּעֵ֥ל	poel	`HVqrmsa`	Who works	the accomplishing-one
`H6466-11`	Psalms 92:8	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 92:10	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 94:4	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 94:16	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 101:8	פֹּ֥עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	doers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-04`	Psalms 119:3	פָעֲל֣וּ	faalu	`HVqp3cp`	do	they accomplished
`H6466-11`	Psalms 125:5	פֹּעֲלֵ֣י	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	doers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 141:4	פֹּֽעֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	who work	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Psalms 141:9	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	of those who do	accomplishers of
`H6466-05`	Proverbs 10:29	לְ/פֹ֣עֲלֵי	lefoaley	`HR/Vqrmpc`	to workers	to doers of
`H6466-07`	Proverbs 16:4	פָּעַ֣ל	paal	`HVqp3ms`	has made	he accomplished
`H6466-05`	Proverbs 21:15	לְ/פֹ֣עֲלֵי	lefoaley	`HR/Vqrmpc`	to-workers-of	to doers of
`H6466-03`	Proverbs 30:20	פָעַ֥לְתִּי	faaleti	`HVqp1cs`	I have done	I accomplished
`H6466-01`	Job 7:20	אֶפְעַ֨ל	efeal	`HVqi1cs`	shall I do	I accomplish
`H6466-13`	Job 11:8	תִּפְעָ֑ל	tifeal	`HVqi2ms`	can you do	you will accomplish
`H6466-20`	Job 22:17	יִּפְעַ֖ל	yifeal	`HVqi3ms`	can do	he will accomplish
`H6466-05`	Job 31:3	לְ/פֹ֣עֲלֵי	lefoaley	`HR/Vqrmpc`	to workers of	to doers of
`H6466-20`	Job 33:29	יִפְעַל	yifeal	`HVqi3ms`	He does	he will accomplish
`H6466-11`	Job 34:8	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers of	accomplishers of
`H6466-11`	Job 34:22	פֹּ֣עֲלֵי	poaley	`HVqrmpc`	workers	accomplishers of
`H6466-09`	Job 34:32	פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי	paaleti	`HVqp1cs`	I have done	I have accomplished
`H6466-13`	Job 35:6	תִּפְעָל	tifeal	`HVqi2ms`	do you do	you will accomplish
`H6466-18`	Job 36:3	וּ֝/לְ/פֹעֲלִ֗/י	ulefoali	`HC/R/Vqrmsc/Sp1cs`	to my Maker	and to my accomplisher
`H6466-08`	Job 36:23	פָּעַ֥לְתָּ	paaleta	`HVqp2ms`	You have done	you accomplished

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