finitum non capax infiniti

As way of review, the first verse of Genesis, it has been argued, presents God as creating all things at a certain point in history preceding the events of the six “days” of creation. This first verse is foundational because it presents God as the ultimate and sovereign creator. The second verse, it will be argued, contains two of the most theologically packed words in Scripture that, once understood, lay out the groundwork for a better understanding not only of the two different creation narratives that follow, but also of the entire history of redemption.

Here is the text of Genesis 1.2:

וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְהֹ֑ום וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

And here are some translations:

NRSV: the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

ESV: The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

NIV: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

NLT: The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Rashi: the earth was astonishingly empty, darkness was over the waters which covered the earth, and the Throne of Glory hovered over the waters by the command of God.

Rashbam: the earth as we know it was completely empty, for water covered it up to the upper heavens. Darkness that was not night was over the depths, and there was no light in the heavens. A wind blew across the waters.

The earth is presented as being “formless” and “void” (Hb. תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ [tohu vavohu]; the NRSV’s rendering of the verse is unfortunate). A better translation of these terms would be “desolate” and “uninhabited.” These terms set out a framework for what the first creation narrative is doing and what the history of redemption is all about.

We see, later in the narrative, that desolation and inhabitation are two things which YHWH solves by creating his world. Even further than that, we see that these are two things which Adam and Eve are to continue to reverse: they are to have dominion over the earth (i.e. care for the earth to continue reversing the desolation) and to be fruitful and multiply (i.e. continuing the habitation of the earth by their progeny).

Then sin enters into the world and brings a threat to the flourishing of plants, animals, and mankind. In Genesis 3, the earth is cursed. Now man is going to have to work harder than before in order to continue his God-ordained and image-of-God-reflecting dominion over the earth. Also, pain is now part of the process of child bearing. How there is something that might bring fear or hesitation when it comes to further inhabiting the earth. All of the sudden sin threatens a return to the desolate (תֹ֙הוּ֙ ּ) and uninhabited ( בֹ֔הוּ) primordial earth.

This reversal of desolation and inhabitation, I think, are pictures of the eternal state that are best summarizes by the term shalom. There will be universal abundance, universal flourishing, and there will be people of every tribe and nation giving glory to God. The reversal of the תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ is a key theological theme found running throughout the first creation narrative (i.e. viewing the creation narrative as reversing the tohu vavohu) and history of redemption (Doug Green related the reversal of תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ to the story of Ruth, which I will blog about soon). This is also key point later in Genesis in the story of the flood: you can view the flood as a return to the תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ, as an “un-creation” narrative and the story of Noah and his progeny (especially the divine commands in Genesis 9) as a re-creation narrative.

Moving along in the verse, we see the phrase “face of the deep.” It seems that this first creation narrative is presenting the earth as being completely covered by water (which is never mentioned as being created), which would represent chaos and calamity to the ancient Near Eastern reader. The sea was the god of chaos for other ancient Near Eastern societies. The mention of it would instill fear or dread to the person who was reading.

Whatever the next phrase means ( וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים; veruach elohim; wind/spirit of God), I think it has more to do with showing God’s supremacy and control over the primordial waters and the other ancient Near Eastern gods than it does to OT allusions to the Trinity.

But what does it actually mean? Does it mean that God sent a “wind” over the waters? Or does it mean that the Spirit of God was over the waters? What would be the theological significance of either of these?

I don’t think that this is an arbitrary statement that the author threw in there, so I’m curious as to hear your thoughts on this…and any thoughts you might have on my interpretation of tohu vavohu.