exegetical · Gen 1:1–2 · ✓ Approved

In the beginning: the syntax of 1:1–3, the unformed earth, and the Spirit of God (Genesis 1:1–2)

Says The consonants of 1:1 allow an independent clause and a temporal clause. בְּרֵאשִׁית has a disjunctive accent. בָּרָא is Qal perfect 3ms; אֱלֹהִים is the subject. BSB “In the beginning” is one reading only.

Uncertain No lean is taken here. (1) Independent clause: 1:1 is complete, 1:2 the earth’s state, 1:3 the speeches. Grounds: the accent, the LXX ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν, early Jewish complete clauses, and John 1:1. The language note on John 1:1 prefers the independent reading for its own purpose; that preference is neither adopted nor contradicted here. See the note on John 1:1. (2) Temporal clause, When God began to create, with the main clause in 1:2 or 1:3. Grounds: anarthrous רֵאשִׁית, often in construct, and בְּיוֹם at 2:4. This syntax does not settle creation out of nothing.

Says Verse 2 has הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ. The pair recurs in Jer 4:23; Isa 34:11 is parallel; תֹהוּ alone in Deut 32:10 and Isa 45:18.

Uncertain No lean is taken: unformed and unfilled; desolate waste; or chaos with the deep and darkness. A reading of הָיְתָה as became is named; waw plus noun plus qatal normally means was.

Says מְרַחֶפֶת is a Piel participle feminine with רוּחַ. The LXX has πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο. Deut 32:11 uses the same stem.

Uncertain No lean is taken: the Spirit of God (BSB’s capital S; Ps 33:6; 104:30); wind or breath (Gen 8:1); or a mighty wind (debated). A Trinitarian reading is a later Christian one, not fixed by the Hebrew.

Claims

SaysThe consonants of 1:1 allow an independent clause and a temporal clause; bereshit has a disjunctive accent; bara is Qal perfect 3ms with elohim as subject; BSB “In the beginning” is one reading only. Verse 2 has hayetah tohu wabohu; merachefet is a Piel participle feminine with ruach; the LXX has pneuma theou epephereto; Deut 32:11 uses the same stem.
UncertainNo lean is taken on the syntax: an independent clause (accent, LXX en arche epoiesen, early Jewish complete clauses, and John 1:1) or a temporal clause (anarthrous reshit, beyom at 2:4). The language note on John 1:1 prefers the independent reading for its own purpose; that preference is neither adopted nor contradicted here. See the note on John 1:1. The syntax does not settle creation out of nothing.
UncertainNo lean is taken on tohu wabohu (unformed and unfilled; desolate waste; or chaos with the deep and darkness). A became reading of hayetah is named; waw plus noun plus qatal normally means was.
UncertainNo lean is taken on ruach elohim: the Spirit of God (BSB’s capital S; Ps 33:6; 104:30); wind or breath (Gen 8:1); or a mighty wind (debated). A Trinitarian reading is a historic inference, not the Hebrew’s plain sense.

Citations

BSB public domain Gen 1:1–2; 2:4; John 1:1; Jer 4:23; Isa 34:11; 45:18; Deut 32:10–11; Ps 33:6; 104:30; Gen 8:1
OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 1:1–2 (WLC/OSHB)
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 1:1–5, vol. 1, p. 1 (oldtestamentingr01swetuoft, viewer leaf n32); read on the page images

Sources Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain OSHB CC BY 4.0 LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0

Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

2026-11-10

Open in Reader All notes on this passage