תֹּהוּ

Meaning:

• Formless
• Waste
• Futile
• Meaningless
• Nothing
• Chaos

Masculine. Noun.

Describes something that is unformed or purposeless. It often pairs with בֹּהוּ - void -forming the phrase תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ, a poetic expression for utter chaos or emptiness.

Genesis 1:2plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGenesis 1:2

Hebrew וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם ESV The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. NIV Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ἡδὲγῆἦνἀόρατοςκαὶκαὶσκότοςἐπάνωτῆςἀβύσσουκαὶπνεῦμαθεοῦἐπεφέρετοἐπάνωτοῦὕ… - Creation initially“without form and void”

• “Now the earth was formless and void”
• Here, תֹּהוּ describes the earth before God's creative ordering. It wasn't evil, just unstructured and lifeless, awaiting divine organization and purpose.

Deuteronomy 32:10plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDeuteronomy 32:10

Hebrew יִמְצָאֵ֨הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֨נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ ESV “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. NIV In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, αὐτὸνἐνγῇἐρήμῳἐνδίψεικαύματοςἐνἀνύδρῳἐκύκλωσεναὐτ… — The wilderness

• “He found him in a desert land, and in the waste”
• Here תֹּהוּ evokes desolation and barrenness, a place where life and order are absent.

Isaiah 45:18plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigIsaiah 45:18

Hebrew כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר יְ֠הוָה בּוֹרֵ֨א הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים יֹצֵ֨ר הָאָ֤רֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ֙ ה֣וּא כֽוֹנְנָ֔הּ לֹא תֹ֥הוּ בְרָאָ֖הּ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יְצָרָ֑הּ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד ESV For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the LORD, and there is no other. λέγεικύριοςὁποιήσαςτὸνοὐρανόνοὗτοςὁθεὸςὁτὴνγῆνκαὶποιήσαςαὐτήναὐτὸςαὐτήνοὐκεἰςκε… — God did not create the earth in vain

• “He did not create it to be empty”
• This contrasts תֹּהוּ with God's intention for structure and habitation, highlighting His purposeful creation.

Jeremiah 4:23plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigJeremiah 4:23

Hebrew רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִנֵּה תֹ֖הוּ וָבֹ֑הוּ וְאֶל הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ין אוֹרָֽם ESV I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. NIV I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. ἐπέβλεψαἐπὶτὴνγῆνκαὶἰδοὺοὐθένκαὶεἰςτὸνοὐρανόνκαὶοὐκἦντὰφῶτααὐτοῦ…

• These passages use תֹּהוּ to describe moral or cosmic chaos, often as judgment imagery where the world returns to a pre-creation-like void.

Creation Theology: Genesis 1:2 emphasizes that God brings order out of chaos, transforming chaos into a structured, life-filled cosmos.

Prophetic Imagery: Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah use the term to describe spiritual or societal collapse, suggesting a return to chaos when God's order is rejected.

Purpose versus Futility: The word becomes a symbol for life without God's purpose—empty, futile, and directionless.