בֹּהוּ
𐤁𐤄𐤅
bôhûw
H922 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of utter desolation or void, referring to a condition characterized by lack of distinguishing features, emptiness, or formlessness. Used especially in descriptions of the primordial state of the earth or the result of total destruction, 'bohu' denotes lifelessness, lack of order, and non-functionality rather than mere absence of material.
Semantic Range
void, emptiness, formlessness, a state of total desolation or ruins, lifeless or undifferentiated expanse
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain; no attested Hebrew root in usage. Possibly related to Hebrew or Northwest Semitic terms denoting emptiness or formlessness, but direct derivation remains unclear. The form functions as a noun describing a particular quality or state, often paired with 'tohu' (תֹּהוּ).
Historical & Contextual Notes
בֹּהוּ (bohu) occurs only three times in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 34:11; Jeremiah 4:23) and always with תֹּהוּ (tohu), forming the phrase 'tohu va-bohu,' expressing an extreme state of disorder or non-existence. In Genesis 1:2, it describes the unformed, empty state of the earth before creation; in Jeremiah and Isaiah, it refers to the aftermath of catastrophic judgment, depicting the land as a devastated wasteland. The English renderings 'void' or 'emptiness' capture part of the meaning but risk missing the nuance of active formlessness or ruined condition. In later interpretive traditions, 'tohu va-bohu' is sometimes interpreted as referring to chaos, but in biblical usage the emphasis is on lack of inhabitable structure. 'Bohu' occurs only in these paired expressions and is not used independently. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for 'waste,' 'ruin,' or 'desert,' such as חָרְבָּה (horbah, 'ruin') or שְׁמָמָה (shemamah, 'desolation'). Jewish and Christian theological and cosmological readings developed much later; the biblical use reflects an ancient Israelite worldview and cosmogony that depicts the pre-creative state or post-judgment land as unproductive and lifeless rather than chaotic in the modern sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin; emptiness, void.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בהו (uncertain) (b-h-w (uncertain)) — emptiness, void, formlessness
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H922-01 |
וָ/בֹ֔הוּ | vavohu | HC/Ncmsa |
and void | formless emptiness | 2 |
H922-02 |
בֹֽהוּ | vohu | HNcmsa |
of emptiness | formless void | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H922-01 |
Genesis 1:2 | וָ/בֹ֔הוּ | vavohu | HC/Ncmsa |
and void | formless emptiness |
H922-02 |
Isaiah 34:11 | בֹֽהוּ | vohu | HNcmsa |
of emptiness | formless void |
H922-01 |
Jeremiah 4:23 | וָ/בֹ֑הוּ | vavohu | HC/Ncmsa |
and void | formless emptiness |