Did God create the earth formless?

[tonychanyt]

NASB20, Gen 1:

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was a formless [H8414] and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

But then, Legacy Standard Bible, Isa 45:

18 For this is what the LORD says, [He] who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it [and] did not create it formless [H8414], [but] formed it to be inhabited): "I am the LORD, and there is no one else.

Did God create the earth H8414-formless?

In Genesis 1:2, the earth was created initially as a dark earth. On Day 3, God continued his creation:

9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

At this point, the earth changed. It was no longer formless.

Isa 45:18 refers to Day 3 and afterward:

He established it and did not create it formless, but formed it to be inhabited.

Isaiah mentioned not-formless in connection with the earth being inhabited.

LXX realized these two confusing usages of H8414. In Genesis 1:2, they translated H8141 as G517-unseen; In Isaish, as G2756-empty. So there is no contradiction in LXX concerning these two passages.

The apparent contradiction in Hebrew can be resolved by pointing to the different time frames.

In the Greek LXX, there is no apparent contradiction.

 

[Diamond72]

Did God create the earth H8414-formless?

God created the world for man "To Do".

The idea that God left the world for humans to take care of is often interpreted as a call to stewardship and responsibility. It suggests that while God created the world, humans are given the duty to care for it, make decisions, and cultivate it responsibly. It speaks to the role humans play in shaping their environment, making ethical choices, and fostering community. This belief can be found in various religious teachings and philosophies, emphasizing the balance between divine providence and human agency.