Genesis 1:2
Viewing the King James Version. Click to switch to 1611 King James Version of Genesis 1:2.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
- King James Bible "Authorized Version", Cambridge Edition
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Other Translations of Genesis 1:2
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan
The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
- American Standard Version (1901)
And the earth was waste and without form; and it was dark on the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was moving on the face of the waters.
- Basic English Bible
And the earth was waste and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
- Darby Bible
And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters.
- Douay Rheims Bible
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
- Webster's Bible
Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.
- World English Bible
the earth hath existed waste and void, and darkness [is] on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttering on the face of the waters,
- Youngs Literal Bible
Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible
View Wesley's Notes for Genesis 1:2
1:2 Where we have an account of the first matter, and the first Mover. 1. A chaos was the first matter. 'Tis here called the earth, (tho' the earth, properly taken, was not made 'till the third day, #Ge 1:10|) because it did most resemble that which was afterwards called earth, a heavy unwieldy mass. 'Tis also called the deep, both for its vastness, and because the waters which were afterwards separated from the earth were now mixed with it. This mighty bulk of matter was it, out of which all bodies were afterwards produced. The Creator could have made his work perfect at first, but by this gradual proceeding he would shew what is ordinarily the method of his providence, and grace. This chaos, was without form and void. Tohu and Bohu, confusion and emptiness, so those words are rendered, #Isa 34:11|. 'Twas shapeless, 'twas useless, 'twas without inhabitants, without ornaments; the shadow or rough draught of things to come. To those who have their hearts in heaven, this lower world, in comparison of the upper, still appears to be confusion and emptiness. And darkness was upon the face of the deep - God did not create this darkness, (as he is said to create the darkness of affliction, #Isa 45:7|.) for it was only the want of light. 2. The Spirit of God was the first Mover; He moved upon the face of the waters - He moved upon the face of the deep, as the hen gathereth her chicken under her wings, and hovers over them, to warm and cherish them, #Mt 23:37 as the eagle stirs up her nest|, and fluttereth over her young, ('tis the same word that is here used) #Deut 32:11|.
morgan's comment on 2013-02-04 08:05:22:
I support the notion that God did not create an earth without form but that something happened for the earth to become without form. Especially as we read in the book of Isaiah and Ezekiel that Lucifer used to live in the Garden of Eden till pride overtook him and decided to Dethrone God and was then cast down with his angels. I believe that that's the time that earth was destroyed and became void and empty.
Deborah's comment on 2013-01-14 01:44:42:
I don't think any of those answers are correct; when the answer is correct it lines up with everything else God has said about creation and all the pieces fit together perfectly! STILL SEEKING.
Josephat mushi's comment on 2013-01-07 14:59:48:
The verse contains the beginning of the earth foundation, which exists till now, this shadows the real future foundation which will exist during the time of God; that foundation will not shaken with earthquake or anything else.
ron's comment on 2012-12-18 11:42:12:
It is very hard for me to understand, was the water frozen? Was all the earth cool, it was without form.
stan gore's comment on 2012-10-07 21:46:39:
None of these integrations is correct. The Hebrew word for was is Strong's no.1961 it means ‘’became’’ without form and void. look it up. It became that way after Satan’s rebellion. Exactly as it is written.
M Russell's comment on 2012-09-19 08:54:24:
Seems like no one here bothered to read Wesley's notes. Try reading it again. I think it answers all questions
Josh's comment on 2012-09-11 20:42:35:
"And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Now THIS part of the verse REALLY confuses me. Notice it says he moved upon the face of the waters. It doesnt say he CREATED the water, so does that mean its ALWAYS been here?
Vince's comment on 2012-01-09 20:23:00:
The earth was a pretty place before satan was cast out of heaven and came to earth and his sin caused the earth to become dark without form and void.
Tony Christ's comment on 2011-12-01 08:20:34:
God did not create the earth to be void, dark and formless.
why do i say that?
this is because it is inconsistent with the nature of God to make something that is imperfect.
Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights...
So God couldn't have created an earth that would become void and dark such that God would have to bring light and reform it again.
So you may ask? So what is the Bible talking about here in Gen 1:2.
Now understand this...
God created the heaven and earth IN THE BEGINNING; not on the first day.
It was the first day that God started his "creation work on the earth".
But between the BEGINNING and the FIRST DAY that God started working on the earth, somethings were already happening on the earth because God had already created the heaven and the earth. And it was these things that caused the earth to become void, dark and formless. So God came in to reform the earth.
Gen 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. AND the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
God created the heaven and the earth AND the earth was without form...
note that the "AND" there does not necessarily denote a continuation but can indicate a duration between the event before and after.
So I believe God created a perfect heaven and earth with creatures living in it but something happened and the perfect earth that God created became void, dark and formless. So God came in to reform that earth for man who was now going to take over the earth; so I support Insights comment that there was an earth age before this age mentioned here in the Gen 1:2-.
Note: What God told man right after He created him:
Gen 1:28...God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and REPLENISH the earth, and subdue it...
God told man to REPLENISH the earth. God would not have told man to replenish the earth if at a time it did not have life on it before man came. So man had to refill that once filled earth.
You may ask,"what was the earth fill with" You may also ask "what happened to the perfect earth that God created for it to become void, dark and formless". Well I can't go into that now; maybe another time.
But the reason why the Holy Spirit did not reveal it into details to Moses was because this Chapter was talking about man so what was happening before the age of man is not that "necessary".
Zoey's comment on 2011-11-09 11:44:44:
I don't understand if the earth was void and without form, where'd the water come from?
butch's comment on 2011-07-24 09:35:46:
@lynn: darkness is not an entity but an absence of light. @bobbyj: obviously water WAS created in 1:1. any later mention of water is in the context that it had already been created. @charles: it doesn't seem to me to be confusing. it seems like He was taking special care to create the earth, like a sculptor w/ clay. @insight: how you claim for earth's creation to NOT have happened, is precisely how God dictated it to moses. where is the scriptural evidence for a "first earth age"? this verse is difficult for us to understand because its impossible to fathom the earth not looking like the earth to our human eyes.
INSIGHT's comment on 2011-07-23 09:27:05:
Hello! You are right Charles, God did not create the earth without form, void, and in darkness, with water everwhere. God created the accorded to Isa 45:18,19. There was an earth age before the age, in which God created Adam and Eve. Its called the first earth age. Adam and Eve was created in the second earth age.
zack's comment on 2011-02-16 06:15:23:
i think,in order to discibe the scintific explanation of how the earth was created in just few sentences you will get genesis 1:2. my point is that it is in the language.
jeff's comment on 2010-12-22 21:34:58:
this doesent relate to "nebular form". nebular form should be full of stuff not void/nothingness.
CHARLES's comment on 2010-12-14 10:48:53:
SINCE GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION[1COR.14;33]HOW DID GENESIS 1;2 BECOME WITHOUT FORM AND VOID[BOHUW-RUIN,TOHUW-TO LIE WASTE
veronica's comment on 2010-10-27 21:54:33:
it shows how great and mighty god is
BobbyJ's comment on 2010-06-29 08:23:43:
How could God move upon the face of the water if water wasn't created yet? I thought the first thing God created for man was light? I do realize angels and satan were already present from the book of Revelation.
Lynn's comment on 2010-04-03 13:08:57:
who and again I say who was the darkness in Genesis 1:2. Can you help me with this.
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