Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Revdpickrel AT wmconnect.com]

In a message dated 4/14/2006 4:36:36 PM Central Daylight Time, 
kwrandolph AT email.com writes:


> You're right, God did not create the world 
> "formless and void", rather it was lifeless and 
> still. The rest of the steps of creation were 
> adding movement and life to the world.
> 

Wait a minute Karl, you just convinved me the earth was rotating in the 
beginning, now you're telling me it was 'lifeless and still.'   Now, I'm back 
to 
square-one on the day business.  You can't have it both ways.   Traditionally 
thh (dr. of tohu) is rendered by KJ, NKJ, LB, NIV, RSV, NAS, NJ, NA as 
'formless 
and void'.  Harris' Workbook renders thh as confusion, plus formless, empty, 
void, etc.  When I consider all the passages that 'formless and void' ties 
together I think it was chaotic too..

Isa. 45:18, God told Isaiah that He didn't create it formless and void, but 
to be inhabited.  I think in Genesis 1 this was accomplished and full of 
life, 
and something took place that made God angry and through this wrath He 
emptied 
the earth rendering it formless and void.  The Scriptures that shows this 
truth is considered by some to be 'figurative language' so there is no point 
in 
boring the forum with 'figurative language' trivia.


> Where do you get the idea that it was chaotic? 
> That's not in the Hebrew.
> 
I know that.  I said I would have added chaotic....


> THW does not mean formless. E.g. 1 Samuel 12:21 
> idols, which were physical statues, were not 
> formless, but they certainly were lifeless. Again, 
> Isaiah 24:10 talks about a lifeless city where no 
> one enters. Further Isaiah 44:9 refers to lifeless 
> statues worshiped as Gods. All of these have form, 
> they just lack life.
> 

Where do you get THW?  My computer does not show THW in Genesis 1:2.

Karl, I am not a Hebrew Language scholar.  I know just enough Hebrew to be 
dangerous, so don't be discouraged with me.  I've been studying Scripture 
since 
1944 and I've formed some opinions in concrete.

Doug
Rev. Doug Pickrel, Litt.D.
Tejas Valley
San Antonio, Texas