Page 114 - Gods Plan of the Ages

and void" should be properly rendered,"but the earth became formless and void." The
words in question are rendered correctly in other places in the first few chapters of Genesis.
The translators knew they could be rendered this way, but it did not fit with their
understanding, or the orthodoxy of the day. The word rendered in the KJV as "was" is the
Hebrew word "hayah." It is the same word used in Genesis 2:7, "Adam became a living
soul."
Strong's concordance defines the meaning of this word as "to become" or, "come to
pass." Similarly the word rendered "and" is the Hebrew "wa." This word is a conjunction.
The KJV translators rendered this word as "but" in the very next chapter, for in Genesis 2:6
we read, "but a mist used to..." The translators could have rendered the first two verses of
Genesis in the following manner:

Genesis 1:1-2
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. But the earth became formless,
and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

By examining the testimony of other portions of Scripture we can discern that this is
the correct interpretation of these verses. The following passage from Jeremiah provides
a key to understanding. As you read it, note clearly the context of a judgment occurring due
to the presence of sin and rebellion.

Jeremiah 4:16-28
Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come
from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah. As keepers of a
field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith
Yahweh. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy
wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart. My bowels, my
bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my
peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents
spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the
sound of the trumpet? For my people are foolish, they have not known me; they are
sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do
good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void;
and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,
and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the
heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities
thereof were broken down at the presence of Yahweh, and by his fierce anger. For thus
hath Yahweh said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this
shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have
purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
(KJV)

This passage is speaking of a judgment of Yahweh falling upon the earth due to
rebellion and disobedience. As part of this judgment the land is made formless, void, and
covered in darkness. These are the three same descriptive elements we find in Genesis 1:2.
These words only occur in this combination in these two passages, and one other. The third
instance is in Isaiah 34 where the destruction of Babylon is prophesied.

Seeing that both Jeremiah and Isaiah used these words to describe the appearance of