What does בֹּהוּ (bōhû) mean in the Bible?
בֹּהוּ (bōhû): Primordial chaos or formlessness; often paired with תֹהוּ to describe precreation void or desolation.
Hebrew · H922
בֹּהוּ
A vacuity , i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin
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בֹּהוּH922
Pronunciationbōhû
What does בֹּהוּ (bōhû) mean in the Bible?
בֹּהוּ (bōhû): Primordial chaos or formlessness; often paired with תֹהוּ to describe precreation void or desolation.
Full entry for בֹּהוּ (H922) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H922?
The BSB source-word alignment has 3 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and void (2), of destruction (1).
Where does בֹּהוּ (bōhû) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 1:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (1), Isaiah (1), Jeremiah (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand void2×Genesis 1:2, Jeremiah 4:23
of destruction1×Isaiah 34:11
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 1:2
Aligned rows3
Books represented3
Genesis1Isaiah1Jeremiah1
Source forms
בֹֽהוּ׃1xḇō·hūIsaiah 34:11
וָבֹ֔הוּ1xwā·ḇō·hūGenesis 1:2
וָבֹ֑הוּ1xwā·ḇō·hūJeremiah 4:23
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular2xGenesis 1:2, Jeremiah 4:23
Noun - masculine singular1xIsaiah 34:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Primordial chaos or formlessness; often paired with תֹהוּ to describe precreation void or desolation.
Source Gloss
a vacuity , i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Primordial chaos or formlessness; often paired with תֹהוּ to describe precreation void or desolation.
a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin BDB: emptiness Usage: emptiness, void.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Primordial emptiness and formlessness before creation, cosmic chaos
Desolation and emptiness resulting from divine judgment, reversal to chaos
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 3 lexical occurrence verses.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.