Strong's Lexicon bohu: Emptiness, void, waste Original Word: בֹּהוּ Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to be empty Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Greek equivalent conceptually related to "bohu" is found in the New Testament with the word "κενός" (kenos - Strong's Greek 2756), meaning empty or void, though it is not a direct translation. Usage: The Hebrew word "bohu" is used to describe a state of emptiness or void. It is often paired with "tohu" (תֹּהוּ), which means formlessness or chaos, to depict a condition of desolation and unformed matter. This term is primarily used in the context of the creation narrative to describe the earth's initial state before God's creative work brought order and life. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cosmology, the concept of chaos and void was common, representing the primordial state before the gods imposed order. The Hebrew Bible's use of "tohu wa-bohu" (תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ) in Genesis 1:2 reflects this cultural understanding but emphasizes the sovereignty of the God of Israel in transforming chaos into a structured and purposeful creation. This stands in contrast to other ancient myths where chaos is often personified and combated by deities. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition emptiness NASB Translation emptiness (1), void (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֹּ֫הוּ noun [masculine] emptiness (on form see Ges§ 84a, 1 b Sta§ 95, 198 a, on usage compare LagOr. ii. 60 f.) always with תֹּהוּ q. v.; — תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ Genesis 1:2 of primeval earth; Jeremiah 4:23 of earth under judgment of ׳י; קַותֿֿהֹוּ וְאַבְנֵי בֹהוּ Isaiah 34:11, the line of wasteness and the stones of emptiness, i.e. plummets, employed, not as usual for building, but for destroying walls; compare Di & see below אבן 6 Strong's Exhaustive Concordance emptiness, void From an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin -- emptiness, void. Forms and Transliterations בֹֽהוּ׃ בהו׃ וָבֹ֑הוּ וָבֹ֔הוּ ובהו ḇō·hū ḇōhū vaVohu Vohu wā·ḇō·hū wāḇōhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 1:2 HEB: הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־ NAS: was formless and void, and darkness KJV: without form, and void; and darkness INT: was was formless and void and darkness was over Isaiah 34:11 Jeremiah 4:23 3 Occurrences |
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