act(-ion), deed, doing, invention, occasion, work

Concise Bible Dictionary:

God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions (Eccl. 7:29²⁹Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. (Ecclesiastes 7:29)) or devices: the same word is translated “engines” in 2 Chronicles 26:15¹⁵And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. (2 Chronicles 26:15). Cain went out from the presence of God and built a city, and his descendants made harps and organs. Men made themselves as happy as they could without God, as in the days of Uzziah (Amos 6:5⁵That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; (Amos 6:5)). In Psalm 99:8⁸Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. (Psalm 99:8) and Psalm 106:29,39,²⁹Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. (Psalm 106:29)
³⁹Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. (Psalm 106:39) the word signifies “doings.”

In natural things inventions have much increased since early days. There is no harm in the things themselves; but if they foster the pride of man, and divert him from God, they become the instruments of Satan. Many things also are found in Christendom of which there is not the least mention in scripture. WITTY INVENTIONS in Proverbs 8:12¹²I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. (Proverbs 8:12) is the same word as that translated “discretion” in Proverbs 1:4⁴To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. (Proverbs 1:4) and Proverbs 2:11,¹¹Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: (Proverbs 2:11) and others. Fürst gives for Proverbs 8:12,¹²I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. (Proverbs 8:12) “knowledge of intelligent counsels.”

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:

5949 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Transliteration:

`aliylah

Phonic:

al-ee-law’

Meaning:

or malilah {al-ee-law'}; from 5953 in the sense of effecting; an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad sense); by implication, an opportunity

KJV Usage:

act(-ion), deed, doing, invention, occasion, work