Word Study for H4640 (מַעֲשַׂי)

Maʻăsay /mah-as-ah'ee/ Ask about this word

Meaningxlit Maʻsay corrected to Maʻăsay; operative; Maasai, an Israelite

KJV usageMaasiai.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Maʻăsay — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew name Maʻăsay, represented by H4640, means operative. It appears only 1 time in a single verse in the entire Bible. The word is used as the proper name, Maasiai, for an Israelite man.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H4640 is within a genealogical record in the book of 1 Chronicles. In this context, the name Maasiai is listed to establish a specific family line. The verse identifies him as the son of Adiel and traces his ancestry back several generations, placing him firmly within the historical account of the people of Israel 1 Chronicles 9:12.

Related Words & Concepts

The lineage of Maasiai is established through a key related word:

H1121 bên (a son): Defined as a builder of the family name, this word is foundational to biblical genealogies. It is used repeatedly in the verse where Maasiai is mentioned, connecting each generation to the next 1 Chronicles 9:12. Its importance in establishing lineage and heritage is seen throughout scripture, such as in the command to teach God's laws to "thy sons, and thy sons' sons" Deuteronomy 4:9.

Theological Significance

While a name appearing only once, the theological significance of H4640 is found in its inclusion within the biblical text.

Preservation of Lineage: The meticulous recording of Maasiai's ancestry underscores the importance the biblical authors placed on lineage and heritage. It demonstrates a careful preservation of family history within Israel.
Individual in the Community: By being named, Maasiai is given a distinct identity and place within the larger community. His existence and role are affirmed through his connection to his fathers, as detailed in the genealogy 1 Chronicles 9:12.
Membership in the Covenant: As an "Israelite" mentioned by name in the scriptural record, Maasiai is formally counted among the people of God. This act of naming individuals in official records signifies their belonging and part in the nation's story.

Summary

In summary, H4640 is the proper name Maasiai. Though it appears just once, its presence in a detailed genealogy 1 Chronicles 9:12 is significant. It highlights the biblical value placed on the individual, the careful documentation of lineage, and the importance of each person's place within the recorded history of Israel.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מַעְשַׂי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in 1 Chronicles — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.