תֹּהוּ

תֹּהוּ

a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert; figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, in vain

Definition

The Hebrew word תֹּהוּ (tôhûw) primarily denotes a state of emptiness, desolation, or formlessness. In its most famous occurrence, it describes the pre-creation condition of the earth as 'formless and void' (Genesis 1:2), a chaotic emptiness awaiting God's ordering work. Elsewhere, it refers to literal, worthless wastelands, such as the trackless desert (Deuteronomy 32:10) or a waterless streambed (Job 6:18). Figuratively, it describes things of no value or purpose, like idols which are 'worthless things' (1 Samuel 12:21) or the 'empty space' God stretches out the north over (Job 26:7).

Biblical Usage

תֹּהוּ appears 19 times across various literary contexts: historical narrative (Genesis), poetry (Job, Psalms, Isaiah), and prophecy. It is used to depict physical desolation, as in the ruined city (Isaiah 24:10) or wilderness (Psalm 107:40). It also carries a strong metaphorical sense of moral or spiritual worthlessness, particularly in polemics against idolatry (e.g., 1 Samuel 12:21). The word often appears in poetic parallelism with בֹּהוּ (bohu, H922), 'void,' especially in the foundational Genesis 1:2 phrase 'formless and void' (tohu wabohu).

Etymology

Derived from an unused root thought to mean 'to lie waste' or 'to be empty.' While no direct cognates are certain in other Semitic languages, the concept aligns with words for 'desert' or 'emptiness.' Its meaning developed from a concrete sense of a barren, uninhabitable landscape to an abstract concept of formlessness, chaos, and ultimate worthlessness.

Semantic Range

תֹּהוּ is profoundly theological. In Genesis 1:2, it establishes that God's creation is not an assembly of pre-existing matter but an act of bringing order from primal chaos, emphasizing God's sovereign power. It contrasts the Creator with creation: God is purposeful and defined, while tohu is undefined and purposeless. This frames human idolatry as the ultimate folly—exchanging the glory of God for a 'worthless thing' (tohu). Understanding tohu enriches reading by highlighting the Bible's core theme of God imposing life-giving order on spiritual and physical desolation. In the ancient Near Eastern worldview, a formless, trackless desert or wilderness (tohu) was a place of danger, death, and divine absence, contrasted with the order and safety of cultivated land. This made it a powerful metaphor for chaos opposed to God's creative order. The pairing 'tohu wabohu' in Genesis 1:2 may intentionally counter pagan creation myths involving cosmic battles, instead presenting a sovereign God effortlessly speaking order into existence. בֹּהוּ (bohu, H922) — 'void' or 'emptiness'; almost exclusively paired with tohu to intensify the concept of formless desolation. מִדְבָּר (midbar, H4057) — 'wilderness' or 'desert'; a more neutral, geographical term for an arid region, not inherently carrying the metaphysical weight of chaos or worthlessness that tohu does. שָׁמֵם (shamem, H8074) — 'to be desolate' or 'appalled'; a verb describing a state of ruin or horror, often as a result of judgment, whereas tohu describes the inherent quality of the space itself.

Word Details