H8414 — תּוֹהוּ

Hebrew / Aramaic entry for Bible study and original-language reference.

Hebrewtohuwnoun mascOccurrences: 20TWOT: 2494a

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:	H8414
Word:	תּוֹהוּ
Part of Speech:	noun masc
Etymology:	from an unused root meaning to lie waste
Language:	Hebrew
Occurrences:	20
Transliteration:	tohuw
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:	to'-hoo
Meaning:	1. a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert 2. (figuratively) a worthless thing 3. adverbially, in vain
KJV Renderings:	confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB9112

תֹּ֫הוּ noun masculine^{1Sam 12:21} (Albr^{ZAW xvi (1896), 112}) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness (primary meaning difficult to seize; Vrss usually Κενόν, οὐδέν, μάταιον, inane, vacuum, vanum ; compare Lag^{Or. ii. 60}; BN 144); —

1. formlessness, of primaeval earth Gen 1:2 ( P ), of land reduced to primaeval chaos Jer 4:23 (both + וָבֹהוּ and voidness), Isa 34:11 ׳ קַותֿֿ (|| אַבְנֵי בֹהוּ), Isa 45:18 בְרָאָהּ ׳ לֹא ת (|| לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָתּ); Isa 24:10 ׳ קִרְיַתאתּ city of chaos (of ruined city); = nothingness, empty space, Job 26:7 תֹּלֶה אֶרֶץ ׳ עַלתּֿ; of empty, trackless waste Deut 32:10 (|| מִדְבָּר), Job 6:18; Job 12:24 = Ps 107:40.

2. figurative of what is empty, unreal, as idols 1Sam 12:21 (collective: אֲשֶׁר ׳ אַחֲרֵי הַתּ לֹא יוֺעִילוּ), 1Sam 12:21; Isa 41:29 נִסְכֵּיהֶם ׳ רוּחַ וָת, Isa 44:9 (of idol-makers), groundless arguments or considerations, Isa 29:21 צַדִּיק ׳ וַיַּטּוּ בַתּ, Isa 59:4 moral unreality or falsehood ׳ בָּטוֺחַ עַלאתּ (|| וְדַבֶּרשָֿׁוְא); = a thing of nought (compare Eccl 41:10 מתהו אל תהו), Isa 40:17 (|| אַיִן אֶפֶס), Isa 40:23 עָשָׂה ׳ שֹׁפְטֵי אֶרֶץ כַּתּ (|| לְאַיִן), worthlessness Isa 49:19 וְהֶבֶל כֹּחִי כִלֵּיתִי ׳ לְת (|| לְרִיק יָגַעְתִּי); as adverb accusative Isa 45:19 I said not, תֹּהוּ בַקְּשׁוּנִי seek me emptily, to no purpose. compare Isa 29:13 ᵐ5 וְתֹהוּ for וַתְּהִי.

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