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.

Genesis 1:2 nkjv

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

Genesis 1:2 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.

Genesis 1:2 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.

Genesis 1:2 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.

Genesis 1 verses

Genesis 1 2 Meaning

Genesis 1:2 describes the initial state of the earth before God's creative acts of ordering and filling. It presents a picture of an unformed and uninhabited world, enveloped in darkness and covered by the primeval deep waters. Crucially, it highlights the active presence of God's Spirit, poised and moving over this chaotic scene, foreshadowing the divine work about to commence.

Genesis 1 2 Context

Genesis 1:2 serves as the transition from the absolute beginning ("In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth") to the specific acts of creation. It sets the scene by describing the raw, undifferentiated state of the world before it was given form, structure, and inhabitants. It is not necessarily describing an act of creation from nothing, but rather the initial condition of what God had already brought into existence, an unformed primeval substance awaiting divine organization.

Historically and culturally, this description stands in stark contrast to prevailing ancient Near Eastern creation myths. Unlike the violent conflicts, battles between deities, or chaotic births from which creation emerges in Mesopotamian and Canaanite cosmologies (e.g., Enuma Elish), Genesis 1:2 portrays the "deep" (tehom) not as a monstrous, threatening entity, but as a passive, unorganized canvas over which God's Spirit moves with quiet sovereignty, completely unopposed and in full control. There is no struggle or war, just the serene readiness of the divine to bring order out of disorder.

Genesis 1 2 Word analysis

• The earth (ha'aretz): Refers to the material substance of the planet, which has been created but is currently in an unformed state.
• was (hayetha): A simple verb "to be," indicating a state of existence. It signifies the condition in which the earth was found, not that it was created to be this way.
• without form (tohu): This Hebrew word means emptiness, waste, chaos, or desolation. It describes a state of non-productivity or lack of definition.
• and void (wa-vohu): Often paired with tohu, intensifying the sense of emptiness and desolation. The phrase tohu wa-vohu (without form and void) is a merism, expressing complete emptiness or an uninhabitable wasteland. It signifies an unordered, uninhabited, unproductive state, rather than something evil or inherently destructive.
• and darkness (we-choshek): Denotes the literal absence of light, covering the entire "deep." Symbolically, it can represent disorder, unproductivity, or the unknown, but in this context, it primarily indicates the lack of light God will soon command.
• was over the face of the deep ('al-pene ha-tehom):
  • face (pene): Suggests the surface or extent.
  • the deep (ha-tehom): Refers to the vast, primordial ocean, the undifferentiated waters covering the nascent earth. It can evoke ancient myths of primeval chaotic waters, but here it is simply the raw material upon which God acts, completely under His dominion.
• And the Spirit of God (u-ruach Elohim):
  • Spirit (ruach): Can mean "wind," "breath," or "spirit." Here, context and later biblical revelation strongly suggest the life-giving, active, and creative "Spirit" of God, indicating His immanent presence and readiness to act.
  • God (Elohim): The generic but majestic name for God, emphasizing His power and transcendence as the Creator.
• was hovering (merachefet): This verb, appearing only twice elsewhere in the OT (Deut 32:11 about an eagle brooding over its young; Jer 23:9 about bones trembling), conveys a sense of fluttering, hovering, or brooding over something, implying watchful care, preparation, and imparting life. It's a vivid image of active divine presence and engagement.
• over the face of the waters ('al-pene ha-mayim): Reinforces the scene described by "over the deep," indicating the specific realm of the Spirit's active presence immediately prior to the commencement of ordered creation.

Words-group analysis

• "The earth was without form and void" (ha'aretz hayetha tohu wa-vohu): This phrase describes the earth's initial state of unformed chaos and emptiness. It is not evil, but rather undeveloped and unproductive, a state of raw potential awaiting God's ordering and filling.
• "Darkness was over the face of the deep" (we-choshek 'al-pene ha-tehom): This emphasizes the primeval state before the creation of light. The vast, unorganized waters are covered by absolute darkness, a physical reality setting the stage for the command "Let there be light."
• "And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (u-ruach Elohim merachefet 'al-pene ha-mayim): This is the most profound and dynamic phrase. It introduces the divine active principle into the chaotic scene. The "hovering" suggests movement, nurturing, and an immanent power that is ready to bring order and life. It signals that even in the initial "chaos," God's presence and power were already there, supervising and preparing. This Spirit's movement is the prelude to all further divine actions in creation.

Genesis 1 2 Bonus section

• Implied Trinity: While not explicitly Trinitarian in the Old Testament, many Christian traditions interpret the "Spirit of God" (Gen 1:2) and "the Word of God" (Gen 1:3; Jn 1:1-3) as foreshadowing the Persons of the Trinity in creation—Father (initiating), Spirit (executing, empowering), and Word/Son (giving form and purpose).
• The Nature of Tohu waVohu: It's important to grasp that "without form and void" is not a depiction of evil, but simply an undifferentiated, uninhabitable, raw state. God brings "form" to the tohu (vv. 3-10) and "fills" the vohu (vv. 11-31). This signifies creation as a process of divine ordering and purposeful population.
• Divine Restraint: The description implies immense power held in check. God does not immediately erupt with destructive force against the chaotic deep, but His Spirit calmly oversees and prepares, demonstrating a deliberate, controlled, and intentional creation process.
• Continuity of Creation: The active presence of the Spirit here lays the groundwork for later biblical themes of God's Spirit continually sustaining creation (Ps 104:30), empowering individuals, and bringing new life (Ez 37:9-10; Jn 3:5). Creation is not just a past event but an ongoing work in which God remains immanently present through His Spirit.

Genesis 1 2 Commentary

Genesis 1:2 reveals the raw material and pre-creational state of the cosmos under God's watchful eye. It is the bridge between the absolute "beginning" of all existence (v.1) and the sequential days of formation and filling (vv.3-31). The "without form and void" (tohu wa-vohu) condition emphasizes a state of disorganization and emptiness, not an evil or a final product. God did not create chaos; rather, He initiated something that was in an unformed state, and His intention was always to bring order and habitation to it (Is 45:18).

The covering darkness signifies the absence of divine light and definition. Yet, over this scene, the "Spirit of God" is seen "hovering." This crucial detail reveals God's immediate and active engagement with creation from its earliest moment. The "hovering" action, reminiscent of a bird nurturing its nest, speaks to God's tender yet powerful brooding over the deep, preparing to infuse life, form, and purpose into the cosmic expanse. This verse, therefore, underlines God's sovereignty even over primeval disorder and positions the Spirit as the active agent, ready to implement the divine will and speak order into being. It sets the stage for the miraculous transformation from barren void to vibrant cosmos.