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Genesis 1:2

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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.

And the earth {H776} was {H1961} without form {H8414}, and void {H922}; and darkness {H2822} was upon the face {H6440} of the deep {H8415}. And the Spirit {H7307} of God {H430} moved {H7363} upon {H5921} the face {H6440} of the waters {H4325}.

The earth was unformed and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.

Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

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.

Commentary

Genesis 1:2 (KJV)

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.

Commentary

This verse describes the initial state of the cosmos before God's creative acts of separation and formation begin. Unlike some ancient Near Eastern creation myths that depict chaos as a hostile, primordial deity, the biblical account presents this initial state as simply the condition of the unformed material, awaiting divine order.

The key themes here are the state of the unformed earth, the presence of darkness and the vast "deep," and the active presence of the Spirit of God. The earth is described as "without form, and void," signifying it was unorganized and empty of life or structure. Darkness covered everything, and the "deep" (vast, unformed waters) was the dominant element. Crucially, the Spirit of God is introduced, not as part of the chaos, but as distinct from it and actively engaged with it.

Linguistically, the phrase "without form, and void" translates the Hebrew "tohu wa bohu," which suggests an undifferentiated, empty, and uninhabited state. The "deep" is "tehom," often referring to the primeval ocean or abyss. The verb "moved upon" is "rachaph," which can mean to hover, brood, or flutter. This imagery suggests the Spirit's active, powerful, yet perhaps gentle presence, preparing the way for creation, much like a bird brooding over its eggs.

This verse sets the stage for God's creative work by highlighting the raw, unformed material and the presence of the divine power (the Spirit) hovering over it, ready to bring order, light, and life out of chaos and darkness.

See also Isaiah 45:18 which contrasts God's purpose in creation with the state of being "in vain" (tohu).

Reflection: The Spirit of God is depicted as active even in the initial state of darkness and void. This reminds us that God's presence and power are at work even in the most chaotic or empty circumstances, preparing to bring forth order and life.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 4:23 (84 votes)

    I beheld the earth, and, lo, [it was] without form, and void; and the heavens, and they [had] no light.

  • Psalms 104:30 (61 votes)

    Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

  • Isaiah 45:18 (55 votes)

    For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else.

  • Psalms 33:6 (40 votes)

    By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

  • Job 26:7 (35 votes)

    He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and] hangeth the earth upon nothing.

  • Isaiah 40:12 (28 votes)

    ¶ Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

  • Isaiah 40:14 (28 votes)

    With whom took he counsel, and [who] instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?