Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Hedrick Gary <GaryH AT cjfm.org>]

Restitution theories of creation postulate an "original" creation prior to 
Gen. 1:1 (or between 1:1 and 1:2) and their proponents rely heavily on the 
"tohu wabohu" argument, saying that God would not create something originally 
in a "judged" condition. One strike against restitutionism and its reliance 
on tohu wabohu, however, is the Torah's statements that the LORD God created 
the heavens, the earth, and everything in them in six days. Like Exodus 20:11 
says:

כִּי שֵֽׁשֶׁת־יָמִים עָשָׂה יְהוָה אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֶת־הַיָּם 
וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּם וַיָּנַח בַּיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל־כֵּן בֵּרַךְ יְהוָה 
אֶת־יֹום הַשַּׁבָּת וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ׃ ס

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all 
that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the 
Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Waltke (Creation and Chaos) and others have written quite extensively on 
restitutionism, including the ramifications of the Hebrew grammar of Genesis 
1:1-2.

Gary Hedrick
San Antonio, Texas USA

On Jan 11, 2010, at 10:55 PM, Richard wrote:

> Is it possible that the words Tohu and  Bohu in Genesis 1:2 *could* mean
> that the earth was "waste and desolate" meaning that the planet was already
> created but lay waste and desolate (probably covered with water and ice with
> even the sun extinguished) and that God basically remodeled it? ...That even
> the plants and animals already had been previously created and were
> reinstated (with appropriate omissions and changes as needed)? 
> 
> Actually this question could cover the translation of most of the first six
> days. But starting with tohu bohu.
> 
> Maybe this question gets too far into theology but I'm wondering if it is
> possible (or impossible) or a legitimate way to potentially view the Hebrew
> this way. I don't have a hard opinion about it but I can't help but wonder.
> I know there may be very strong opinions against this potential view but I
> want to understand from as strictly a Hebrew point of view as possible.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Richard Conaway
> 
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