Genesis 1:2

Ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου· καὶ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος.

And the earth was invisible and unconstructed, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water.

והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשׁך על־פני תהום ורוח אלהים מרחפת על־פני המים׃

 

*   unconstructed OR not properly prepared OR unfinished
*   deep OR abyss
*   Spirit OR wind

 

Other Greek Versions

Gen 1:2 [Aquila of Sinope]
η δε γη ην κενωμα και ουθεν. και σκοτος επι προσωπον αβυσσου, και πνευμα Θεου επιφερομενον επι προσωπον υδατων.

Gen 1:2 [Symmachus]
η δε γη εγενετο αργον και αδιακριτον. … και πνευμα Θεου επιφερομενον επι προσωπον υδατων.

Gen 1:2 [Theodotion]
η δε γη ην κενον (s. ουθεν) και ουθεν. και σκοτος επι προσωπον αβυσσου, και πνευμα Θεου επιφερομενον επι προσωπου υδατος.

 

Septuagint Manuscripts

Gen 1:2 [Codex Alexandrinus (A) (5th century)]1c1
ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος· καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου· καὶ ΠΝΑ ΘΥ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος.

 

Critical Apparatus :

 

Literal English Translation

But the earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was over the abyss; and the Spirit of God was moving over the water.

Morphology of the Septuagint

1. Ἡ (i)

• Root: ὁ
• Form: Definite Article, Nominative Singular Feminine
• Lexical Meaning: “the”
• Contextual Notes: Marks γῆ (earth) as the subject of the clause.

2. δὲ (de)

• Root: δέ
• Form: Conjunction
• Lexical Meaning: “but” or “and”
• Contextual Notes: Signals a contrast with the previous statement.

3. γῆ (yi)

• Root: γῆ
• Form: Noun, Nominative Singular Feminine
• Parsing Details: Subject of the verb ἦν (was).
• Lexical Meaning: “earth” or “land”
• Contextual Notes: Refers to the unformed matter of the earth at creation.

4. ἦν (in)

• Root: εἰμί
• Form: Verb, Imperfect Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
• Parsing Details: Imperfect tense indicates continuous past action.
• Lexical Meaning: “was”
• Contextual Notes: Describes the state of the earth at the time.

5. ἀόρατος (arátos)

• Root: ἀόρατος
• Form: Adjective, Nominative Singular Feminine
• Lexical Meaning: “invisible”
• Contextual Notes: Used to describe the initial condition of the earth, indicating a lack of visibility.

6. καὶ (ke)

• Root: καί
• Form: Conjunction
• Lexical Meaning: “and”
• Contextual Notes: Connects ἀόρατος and ἀκατασκεύαστος as descriptors of γῆ.

7. ἀκατασκεύαστος (akataskévastos)

• Root: ἀκατασκεύαστος
• Form: Adjective, Nominative Singular Feminine
• Lexical Meaning: “unformed” or “unprepared”
• Contextual Notes: Further describes the state of the earth as lacking form or structure.

8. σκότος (skótos)

• Root: σκότος
• Form: Noun, Nominative Singular Neuter
• Lexical Meaning: “darkness”
• Contextual Notes: Refers to the absence of light, hovering over the unformed earth.

9. ἐπάνω (epáno)

• Root: ἐπάνω
• Form: Preposition
• Lexical Meaning: “over” or “above”
• Contextual Notes: Indicates position, showing darkness covering τῆς ἀβύσσου (the abyss).

10. τῆς (tis)

• Root: ὁ
• Form: Definite Article, Genitive Singular Feminine
• Lexical Meaning: “the”
• Contextual Notes: Specifies ἀβύσσου as the genitive object of ἐπάνω.

11. ἀβύσσου (avíssou)

• Root: ἄβυσσος
• Form: Noun, Genitive Singular Feminine
• Lexical Meaning: “abyss” or “deep”
• Contextual Notes: Refers to the chaotic deep waters before creation.

12. πνεῦμα (pnévma)

• Root: πνεῦμα
• Form: Noun, Nominative Singular Neuter
• Lexical Meaning: “spirit” or “breath”
• Contextual Notes: Describes the active, life-giving presence of God over the unformed earth.

13. Θεοῦ (Theú)

• Root: Θεός
• Form: Noun, Genitive Singular Masculine
• Lexical Meaning: “of God”
• Contextual Notes: Genitive case indicates possession, specifying that the Spirit belongs to God.

14. ἐπεφέρετο (epeféreto)

• Root: ἐπιφέρω
• Form: Verb, Imperfect Middle/Passive Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
• Parsing Details: Imperfect tense shows continuous action; middle/passive voice reflects the Spirit’s movement over the waters.
• Lexical Meaning: “was moving” or “was hovering”
• Contextual Notes: Indicates a sustained presence of the Spirit over the waters, preparing for creation.

15. ἐπάνω (epáno)

• Root: ἐπάνω
• Form: Preposition
• Lexical Meaning: “over” or “above”
• Contextual Notes: Repeated to describe the Spirit’s position relative to the waters.

16. τοῦ (tou)

• Root: ὁ
• Form: Definite Article, Genitive Singular Neuter
• Lexical Meaning: “the”
• Contextual Notes: Modifies ὕδατος (water), indicating the object of ἐπάνω.

17. ὕδατος (ídatos)

• Root: ὕδωρ
• Form: Noun, Genitive Singular Neuter
• Lexical Meaning: “water”
• Contextual Notes: Represents the primordial waters, emphasizing the Spirit’s preparatory movement above them.

 

LXX Editions:

• Robert Holmes (1798)
• Paul de Lagarde (1868)
• Tischendorf-Nestle (1880)
• Henry Barclay Swete (1887)
• Cambridge (Alan E. Brooke & Norman McLean) (1906)