User:Stephen/GapTheoryNotes

This article examines the biblical basis of the Gap Theory of the biblical account of creation, including verses that may argue against the Gap theory. This article may contain novel research.

Foundation of the Gap theory: Waste and Ruin

The Gap theory is based on a translation of the Hebrew words tôhûw and bôhûw in Genesis 1:2 as "waste and ruin". Most modern english translations translate these words as formless and empty. However, some biblical scholars suggest that a more accurate translation is "waste and ruin." This alternative translation, together with supporting bible verses, lead some to the conclusion that the Earth had a previous age, which was made waste and ruin, before the creation in GE 1:3.

tôhûw ve- bôhûw

The Hebrew phrase tôhûw ve- bôhûw (to'·hü ve- bo'·hü ) appears in GE ^1:2 and JER ^4:23, and is rendered "formless and empty" in the NIV. The phrase tôhûw ve- 'eben bôhûw appears in ISA ^34:11. Tôhûw also appears in other bible verses, and we shall examine those as well, but first, lets look closer at the phrase tôhûw ve- bôhûw.

NIV	KJV
GE 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 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.	GE 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
ISA 34:11 The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; the great owl and the raven will nest there. God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation.	ISA 34:11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
JER 4:23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.	JER 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

Tôhûw Bôhûw Lexicon

Hebrew	English Definition
Tôhûw	from an unused root mean. To lie waste; a desolation (of surface), i.e., desert; figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, In vain;--confusion, empty palce, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness
Bôhûw	from an unused root (meaining to be empty); a vauity, i.e., (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin: --emptiness, void.

Other uses: Let the bible translate the bible

The following shows how the word tôhûw was translated by two popular English language bibles. Tôhûw occurs twenty times in nineteen verses, while bôhûw occurs three times in three verses, and always in a verse with tôhûw. In the table below, the English words for tôhûw and bôhûw are highlighted as indicated.

Verse	NIV	KJV
GE 1:2	GE 1:2 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.	GE 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
DT 32:10	DT 32:10 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,...	DT 32:10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
1 SA 12:21	1 SA 12:21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.	1 SA 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
JOB 6:18	JOB 6:18 Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go up into the wasteland and perish.	JOB 6:18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
JOB 12:24	JOB 12:24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he sends them wandering through a trackless waste.	JOB 12:24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
JOB 26:7	JOB 26:7 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.	JOB 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
PS 107:40	PS 107:40 he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste.	PS 107:40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
ISA 24:10	ISA 24:10 The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred.	ISA 24:10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
ISA 29:21	ISA 29:20 The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down-- 21 those who with a word make a man out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.	ISA 29:20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: 21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
ISA 34:11	ISA 34:11 The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; the great owl and the raven will nest there. God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation.	ISA 34:11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
ISA 40:17	ISA 40:17 Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.	ISA 40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
ISA 40:23	ISA 40:23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.	ISA 40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
ISA 41:29	ISA 41:29See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion.	ISA 41:29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.
ISA 44:9	ISA 44:9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.	ISA 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
ISA 45:18	ISA 45:18 For this is what the LORD says--he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other...."	ISA 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
ISA 45:19	ISA 45:19 "...I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.	ISA 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
ISA 49:4	ISA 49:4 But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand,and my reward is with my God."	ISA 49:4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
ISA 59:4	ISA 59:4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.	ISA 59:4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
JER 4:23	JER 4:23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.	JER 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

Gap Theory accepted by...

This section pending research. If you know the answer to this, please fill in the table (or add denominations). Also, please add references.

Denomination	Supports Gap Theory	Opposes Gap Theory
Baptist (SBC)	?	?
Lutheran (ELCA)	?	?
Lutheran (LCMS)	?	?
Lutheran (WELS)	?	?
Lutheran (ELS)	?	?

Sources

• Bullinger, E. W. The Companion Bible Kregel Publications
• Hoeber, Robert G. (General Editor), 1984 Concordia Self-Study Bible New International Version Concordia Publishing House ISBN 0-570-00514-0
• James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible Hendrickson Publishers. ISBN 0-917006-01-1
• Zondervan Zondervan Reference Software (32-bit edition) Version 2.6 The Zondervan Corporation.

Resources

• Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon