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George Haydock's Catholic Commentary

Genesis 1:2

Spirit of God, giving life, vigour, and motion to things, and preparing the waters for the sacred office of baptism, in which, by the institution of Jesus Christ, we must be born again; and, like spiritual fishes, swim amid the tempestuous billows of this world. (v. Tert.[Tertullian?], &c.) (Worthington) (Haydock)---This Spirit is what the Pagan philosophers styled the Soul of the World. (Calmet) --- If we compare their writings with the books of Moses and the prophets, we shall find that they agree in many points. See Grotius. (Haydock)

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See also Genesis 1:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 1:2. _THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM AND VOID_] The original term תהו _tohu_ and בהו _bohu_, which we translate _without_ _form and void_, are of uncertain etymology; but in this place, and...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - II. The Land היה _hāyah_, “be.” It is to be noted, however, that the word has three meanings, two of which now scarcely belong to our English “be.” 1. “Be, as an event, start into being, begin to...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE CREATION ACCOUNT The manner in which the book of Genesis begins leaves no doubt that it is the revelation of God. The creation account is historical truth. The questio...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A. THE PRIESTLY STORY OF CREATION. This section belongs to the Priestly Document (P). This is shown by the use of several of its characteristic terms, by the constant repetition of the formulæ, and by...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Since the formula These are the generations of is usually placed by P at the beginning of a section, whereas here it occurs at the end (Genesis 2:4_a_), it is thought by many that its present position...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6), by which, in the 34 verses of this Introduction, each one of 102 separate acts are emphasized; and the important word "God" in Genesis 1:1 is car...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Beginning of all Things, and the First Creation Day 1. _In the beginning B'rêshîth_: LXX ἐν ἀρχῇ : Lat. _in principio_. This opening word expresses the idea of the earliest time imaginable. It co...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And the earth_, &c. Notice, in the present verse, (1) that "darkness" exists which God is not said to have made: (2) that "waters" exist before the formation of the seas: (3) that "the spirit of God...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID— In its first state the earth, or the whole of the terraqueous globe, was a mere confused chaos, without any regular form, or without any of its present furnit...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART SIX: THE FIRST FOUR DAYS OF THE COSMIC WEEK OF BEGINNINGS Genesis 1:2-19 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The verb _bara,_ translated create, writes Skinner (ICC, 15) is u...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Day One: Energy-Matter, Motion, Light (Genesis 1:2-5) _And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters_. 1. The w...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ And the earth was without form, and void. The relation...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    1:2 waste (b-5) See Isaiah 34:11 ; Isaiah 45:18 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CREATION 'The foundation of foundations and pillar of all wisdom is to know that the First Being is, and that He giveth existence to everything that exists! 'Thus wrote Moses Maimonides, a Jewish...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    GOD] Heb. _EloMm_. The word probably signifies 'strength,' but the etymology is obscure; cp. Arabic _Allah._ The Heb. word is plural in form, but as a rule it is significantly followed by verbs in the...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ ABOUT GENESIS Many people think that Moses wrote Genesis. If he did, other people probably helped him. And if he did, he may have used some of the words o...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    EXCURSUS B: ON THE NAMES ELOHIM AND JEHOVAH-ELOHIM. Throughout the first account of creation (Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3) the Deity is simply called _Elohim._ This word is strictly a plural of _Eloah,...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND THE EARTH. — The conjunction “and” negatives the well-meant attempt to harmonise geology and Scripture by taking Genesis 1:1 as a mere heading; the two verses go together, and form a general summa...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ הָ אָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָ בֹ֔הוּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE CREATION Genesis 1:1; Genesis 2:1 IF anyone is in search of accurate information regarding the age of this earth, or its relation to the sun, moon, and stars, or regarding the order in which plan...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BEGINNINGS Genesis 1:1 All beginnings must begin with God. Always put God first. The first stone in every building, our first thought every morning, the first aim and purpose of all activity. Begin t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The opening sentence of the Book of Genesis is an interpretation of the fact "that what is seen hath not been made out of things which do appear" Hebrews 11:3), and accounts for the things which are s...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    "GOD CREATED" It should be noted the writer of this account is not concerned with science. However, no proven fact of science contradicts any scripture. The expression "and God" is used 28 times in Ge...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the earth was (b) without form, and void; and (c) darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God (d) moved upon the face of the waters. (b) As an unformed lump and without any cr...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Mark! what a resemblance there is between the empty void of nature, before the lights of heaven were introduced into the creation, and that of the human soul before the light of grace hath passed upon...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is one characteristic of divine revelation to which attention may be profitably called as a starting point. We have to do with facts. The Bible alone is a revelation of facts, and, we can add (n...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    2._And the earth was without form and void. _I shall not be very solicitous about the exposition of these two epithets, תוהו, (_tohu,_) and בוהו, (_bohu._) The Hebrews use them when they designate any...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Let us examine then the contents of this book in order. First, we have the creation creation in which man is found placed on earth as centre and head. We have first the WORK of God, and then the REST...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID,.... It was not in the form it now is, otherwise it must have a form, as all matter has; it was a fluid matter, the watery parts were not separated from the ea...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _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._ Ver. 2. _And the earth was without form and void,_]...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Gen. 1:2. "The earth was without form and void." The first state of the earth, or this lower world, shows what it was to be afterwards, _viz. _ a world of confusion and emptiness, full of evil, vanity...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The _earth_ When first called into existence, _was without form and void: confusion and emptiness_, as the same original words are rendered, Isaiah 34:11. It was without order, beauty, or even use, in...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    [THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.] 1 The creation of Heauen and Earth, 3 of the light, 6 of the firmament, 9 of the earth separated from the waters, 11 and made fruitfull, 14 of the Sunne, Moone, and...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Creation of Chaos and Light...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the earth was without form and void. The material substance of which the earth consists was in a state of chaos, the various elements being intermingled in utter disorder. AND DARKNESS WAS UPON TH...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    THE GENESIS OF THE WORLD AND OF THE PRIMITIVE TIME OF THE HUMAN RACE, AS THE GENESIS OF THE PRIMITIVE RELIGION UNTIL THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEATHENDOM, AND OF ITS ANTITHESIS IN THE GERMINATING PATRIARCHAL...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    In our human nature is a thirst to know about origins. God has given us this nature and God supplies the answer to our desire simply and decisively in the first statement of His own revelation to mank...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1,2 The first verse of the Bible gives us a satisfying and useful account of the origin of the earth and the heavens. The faith of humble Christians understands this better than the fancy of the most...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    The same confused mass or heap is here called both EARTH, from its most solid and substantial part; and the DEEP, from its vast bulk and depth; and WATERS, from its outward face and covering. See PS...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    There is something peculiarly striking in the manner in which the Holy Ghost opens this sublime book. He introduces us, at once, to God, in the essential fullness of His Being, and the solitariness of...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 1:2 earth H776 was H1961 (H8804) form H8414 void H922 darkness H2822 face H6440 deep H8415 Spirit...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And the earth was without form and empty. And darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters.' “AND THE EARTH” - the connecting ‘' (‘ _waw_ ') really excl...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    WITHOUT FORM AND VOID; (Jeremiah 4:23); (Isaiah 24:1); (Isaiah 45:18) clearly indicate that the earth had undergone a cataclysmic change as the result of divine judgment. The face of the earth bears...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 1:2 We should be sure we understand both Nature and Scripture before we pronounce certainly on their agreement or disagreement, and it can hardly be said that either is quite understood. To at...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 1 It is possible that God made at first only one kind of matter, the germ of all the universe. Indeed, Scripture seems to hint this in the sublime record of the origin of light: "And God said...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Genesis 1:1. _In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth._ When that «beginning» was, we cannot tell. It may have been long ages before God fitted up this world for the abode of man, but i...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Original creation and the renovating of earth for habitation of man. Creation of animal and human life. CHARACTERS: God, Genesis 1:1. Spirit, Genesis 1:2. Christ, Genesis 1:26 (See...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep_ GENESIS OF ORDER I. EXPLANATION OF THE PASSAGE. 1. The primeval chaos. (1) Origin of chaos. The direct issue o...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 1:1 Primeval History. Genesis 1:1 surveys the history of the world before Abraham, while chs....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 1:2 Before the first actual day of creation (vv. Genesis 1:3), the EARTH was WITHOUT FORM AND VOID (compare...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 1:1. In the beginning] Or, “at first,” “originally,” “to start with:” Sept. _en archê_ (εν αρχῃ) as in John 1:1. GOD] Heb. _’Elohim_ (אֱלֹהִים): w. ref. to this frequent and...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION I. THAT this initial section is not _history _is apparent from the circumstance that the occurrences it describes belong to a period of time which antedates the dawn of history. That it is...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we now turn in our Bibles to Genesis chapter one, verse one? The word Genesis in Hebrew means "beginning." And so, it is "the book of the beginnings", and in Genesis we find the beginning of the...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    without. Job 26:7 Isaiah 45:18 Jeremiah 4:23 Nahum 2:10 Spirit. Job 26:14...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE ALPHA AND OMEGA OF CREATION Genesis 1:1; _Revelation 21:1_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. Genesis and Revelation contrasted. The Book of Genesis is commonly known as the Book of beginnings. It is there t...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    IN THE BEGINNING GOD Genesis 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS In these days of humanizing God, we need to give more time to the study of God's eternity. The Bible opens with the expression, "In the beginning...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have a very interesting study to set before you today. Most of us realize how vital a part the Holy Spirit plays in our own exp...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Where we have an account of the first matter, and the first Mover. 1. A chaos was the first matter. 'Tis here called the earth, (tho' the earth, properly taken, was not made 'till the third day, Genes...

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