Without Form and Void

WITHOUT FORM AND VOID

Arthur C. Custance

Abstract

    In any understanding of God's revelation, we are dependent upon words,
upon the words in the original language -- and in their most literal sense.
This is particularly true of any account of Creation.
    Should Genesis 1:2 be rendered (as in the King James Version) "And the
earth was without form and void" OR "But the earth had become without
form and void"? The question is whether to translate the Hebrew
conjunction waw as 'and' or 'but' and whether to translate the verb hayah
simply as 'was' or by the pluperfect 'had become'.
    If the translation of 'and' and 'was' is correct, then verse 2 appears
to be merely a continuation of verse 1, signifying that its formless
condition was proper to the initial stages of God's creative activity. In
this translation we must either take 'days' to mean not literal days but
geological ages, or treat the whole chapter as poetry or allegory. These
'solutions' are not supported by the rules of linguistics.
    If the translation of 'but' and 'had become' is correct, the implication
is far different. For then verse 2 is a picture of the earth, not as it came
from the hand of God in creation, but after some intervening event had
reduced it to a state of ruin. This alternative translation allows between
verse 1 and 2 a hiatus of unknown duration (a view held in earliest times)
which can accommodate geological ages. Opponents object to this 'Gap
Theory' as simply an attempt to 'rescue' modern Geology.
    So what does the original Hebrew really say? This book is an
examination of the Hebrew words in this second verse of Genesis,
observing the rules of linguistics, of grammar and syntax, and the context
in an attempt to establish the meaning of the words as found here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Download entire book (.zip archive)
[Instructions]

	Preface
	Introduction
Chap. 1	A Long-held View
2	The Linguistic Evidence
3	The Pluperfect in Hebrew
4	The Witness of Other Versions
5	Modern Objections
6	The Rule Applied with Illustrations

Appendices
I	Excerpts from Some Supporting Authors
II	The Classical Concept of Chaos
III	Gen.1.2 According to Various Versions
IV	The Use of Hayah in Genesis, Joshua, Job, two Psalms, and Zechariah
V	Some Occurrences of the Use of Hayah in the Future Tense
VI	The Idea of “Coming” in the Verb Hayah
VII	The Use of Hayah in the Passive Voice
VIII	The Expression of “Continuation” of State or Action by a Compounded Use of Hayah
IX	The Existential Sense of the Verb Hayah
X	The Meaning of Hayah with Various Particles Following
XI	The Meanings of Hayah according to Various Lexicographers
XII	Meanings of Hayah Followed by Lamedh
XIII	The Use of Hayah without the Lamedh Following
XIV	Various Renderings of waw, other than and or but
XV	Illustrations of Inverted Word Order to Signify a Pluperfect
XVI	Meaning of Descriptive Terms Found in Genesis 1.2
XVII	Use of Hayah in a Hebrew Version of the New Testament
XVIII	Some Instances where Hayah is Translated "became" in spite of the Absence of Lamedh Following
XIX	Meaning of in the New Testament
XX	The Meaning of Exodus 20.11
XXI	Some Pagan Traditions of a Like Catastrophe

Indexes
Index of References
Index of Names
Index of Biblical References

General Bibliography

1989 published by Doorway Publications
2003 published online

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The Doorway Papers and books by ARTHUR CUSTANCE are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form for commercial use without prior written permission from Evelyn White for DOORWAY PUBLICATIONS, 38 Elora Drive, Unit 41, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L9C 7L6 (E-Mail: ewhite@nas.net, or telephone: 905-385-1503). Permission is granted to download for personal use and for distribution for non-profit or non-commercial use, such as study groups or classroom use.

Appendices

The Idea of “Coming” in the Verb Hayah

The Meaning of Hayah with Various Particles Following

Indexes

Index of References

Index of Names

Index of Biblical References

General Bibliography