A Hebrew noun meaning work, deed, act, doing, thing made, workmanship, product. From the root asah (to do, make), it refers to both the act of making and the result — whether human craftsmanship, divine creation, or moral actions. It encompasses everything from God's creative works to human labor to ethical conduct.
This word is central to understanding God as worker and humans as co-workers. The heavens are the work of God's hands (Psalm 19:1), and all creation declares His works (Psalm 104:24). But humans are also called to ma'aseh — meaningful, God-honoring work. Ecclesiastes wrestles extensively with the meaning of human ma'aseh under the sun, ultimately concluding that work finds meaning when done in the fear of God. The connection between God's works and human works reveals that human labor, done faithfully, participates in God's ongoing creative and redemptive activity. We are not merely surviving — we are extending the ma'aseh of the Creator.