Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary
פעל
The verb פעל (pa'al) basically means to do, but it's used far less often than the verb עשה ('asa I), also meaning to do. The verb פעל (pa'al) generally denotes a doing of moral acts, sometimes positive (righteousness: Psalm 15:2; God's justice: Zephaniah 2:3) but mostly negative (wickedness: Proverbs 30:20; iniquity: Job 34:32; idolatry: Isaiah 44:15). Half of this verb's occurrences apply to God's doings, with no obvious distinction from the usage of other verbs meaning to do (Numbers 23:23, Deuteronomy 32:27, Job 33:29).
This verb's derivatives are:
- The masculine noun פעל (po'al), either denoting something done (Deuteronomy 32:4, Job 24:5, Jeremiah 25:14) or something made (Isaiah 1:31, 45:9). It may also denote the wages of work (Jeremiah 22:13) or the acquisition of treasures (Proverbs 21:6)
- The feminine noun פעלה (pe'ulla), meaning either work or deed (Psalm 28:5, Jeremiah 31:16) or wages earned with work or deeds (Leviticus 19:13, Isaiah 49:4).
- The masculine noun מפעל (mip'al), meaning work or a thing made (Proverbs 8:22 only).
- The feminine noun מפעלה (mip'ala), meaning deed (Psalm 46:8 and 66:5 only).