Tohu wa'bohu

Posted on 02/12/2009 Categories:

Genesis

Thanks so much for the enthusiastic response to the beginning of our Genesis series! I've already begun receiving questions, some of which I will answer here today, and we look forward to receiving more from you as the questions come to your minds.

In yesterday's message, I talked about how before God called it into order, the world was "Tohu wabohu", the English transliteration of the Hebrew phrase in Genesis 1:1 that the ESV translates as "without form and void." I received a question asking for a little more comment on what it means. Briefly, the word "Tohu" is not a refence to it lacking shape, but rather it being a barren wasteland. The only other place that Moses uses the word "Tohu" is in Deuteronomy 32:10, where the ESV translates it "waste" and the NIV translates it "barren". "Vohu" is used even fewer times in the OT, and it only appears in conjunction with "tohu" the 3 times it is found, indicating a connection between the words going all the way back to Genesis 1:2 (the two other references to "Tohu wa'vohu" ("wa" means "and") are Isaiah 34:11 and Jeremiah 4:23).

So the picture that emerges is one of emptiness and barreness, a desert wasteland where there is no life. It's the state of the world before God brings it to order, and it's the state of the world following God's judgment. On Sunday we will also see how "Tohu" corresponds to the first three days of creation, and "Vohu" to the second three days. So it isn't so much that the world existed without a shape, as if it were just a two dimensional existence, but that it was essentially chaos, without order, and empty -- apparently, just a watery mass, without life or land until God began to speak and creation responded. But even in this it's important to recognize that God was the Creator of that watery chaos, and the lesson for us all in this is that God will not leave the creation tohu wa'vohu. Amen!

Update: I'd also point out that Franz Haydn composed one of his masterpieces on this topic, "The Creation", the first movement of which ("Representation of Chaos") musically illustrates that wasteland quite nicely!

We welcome your comments—whether in responding to the pastors or to the comments others have left.
We moderate the comments, so please know that even though we can't post every comment, we do read and appreciate them all.
We ask for all public comments to be made prayerfully and with the respect you would offer to people face to face. We would be grateful if you would include your first and last name unless your question or comment is of a sensitive nature.
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		Tohu wa'bohu Posted on 02/12/2009 Categories: Genesis Thanks so much for the enthusiastic response to the beginning of our Genesis series! I've already begun receiving questions, some of which I will answer here today, and we look forward to receiving more from you as the questions come to your minds. In yesterday's message, I talked about how before God called it into order, the world was "Tohu wabohu", the English transliteration of the Hebrew phrase in Genesis 1:1 that the ESV translates as "without form and void." I received a question asking for a little more comment on what it means. Briefly, the word "Tohu" is not a refence to it lacking shape, but rather it being a barren wasteland. The only other place that Moses uses the word "Tohu" is in Deuteronomy 32:10, where the ESV translates it "waste" and the NIV translates it "barren". "Vohu" is used even fewer times in the OT, and it only appears in conjunction with "tohu" the 3 times it is found, indicating a connection between the words going all the way back to Genesis 1:2 (the two other references to "Tohu wa'vohu" ("wa" means "and") are Isaiah 34:11 and Jeremiah 4:23). So the picture that emerges is one of emptiness and barreness, a desert wasteland where there is no life. It's the state of the world before God brings it to order, and it's the state of the world following God's judgment. On Sunday we will also see how "Tohu" corresponds to the first three days of creation, and "Vohu" to the second three days. So it isn't so much that the world existed without a shape, as if it were just a two dimensional existence, but that it was essentially chaos, without order, and empty -- apparently, just a watery mass, without life or land until God began to speak and creation responded. But even in this it's important to recognize that God was the Creator of that watery chaos, and the lesson for us all in this is that God will not leave the creation tohu wa'vohu. Amen! Update: I'd also point out that Franz Haydn composed one of his masterpieces on this topic, "The Creation", the first movement of which ("Representation of Chaos") musically illustrates that wasteland quite nicely! We welcome your comments—whether in responding to the pastors or to the comments others have left. We moderate the comments, so please know that even though we can't post every comment, we do read and appreciate them all. We ask for all public comments to be made prayerfully and with the respect you would offer to people face to face. We would be grateful if you would include your first and last name unless your question or comment is of a sensitive nature. Thank you! Actions kwhitworth's blog Add new comment » Sunday Mornings: 10:00 am - Briar Woods High School - 22525 Belmont Ridge Rd Ashburn, VA 20148 - Map and Directions - Contact Us - Home