בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית       (In the beginning)

Torah Portion:  B’RE’SHEET (Genesis) 1:1 - 6:8  
Haftarah:  Y'SHA’YAHU (Isaiah) 42:5 – 43:10

7218    רֹאשׁ   ro'sh {roshe}

Meaning:  1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning 1a) head (of man, animals) 1b) top, tip (of mountain) 1c) height (of stars) 1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest) 1e) head, front, beginning 1f) chief, choicest, best 1g) head, division, company, band 1h) sum  Origin:  from an unused root apparently meaning to shake;  Usage:  head, chief, top, beginning, company, captain, sum, first, principal, chapiters, rulers.

[7225]   רֵאשִׁית   re'shiyth {ray-sheeth'}

Meaning:  1) first, beginning, best, chief 1a) beginning 1b) first 1c) chief 1d) choice part  Origin:  from the same as 7218;  Usage:  beginning, firstfruits, first, chief.

 

BEREISHIT (Genesis) 1:1-2                                                                                                                                                      

¹ In the beginning Elohim (God) created the heavens and the earth.
² The earth became confusion and without form, and emptiness or void; and darkness on the face of the sea.  And the Spirit of Elohim was hovering over the face of the waters.

 

Hebrew: 
The Earth was astonishingly empty with darkness upon the face of the deep, (tohu v-vo’hu)

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ 

וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם

 

 

1961 הָיָה     hayah {haw-yaw}  the Earth BECAME
Meaning:  1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a)  1a1)  1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass  1a1b) to come about, come to pass  1a2) to come into being, become  1a2a) to arise, appear, come  1a2b) to become  1a2b1) to become  1a2b2) to become like  1a2b3) to be instituted, be established  1a3) to be  1a3a) to exist, be in existence  1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)  1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)  1a3d) to accompany, be with  1b)  1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about  1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone   Origin:  a primitive root; Usage:  was, come to pass, came, has been, were happened, become, pertained, better for thee.

8414   תֹּהוּ   tohuw {to'-hoo}  CONFUSION

Meaning:  1) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness 1a) formlessness (of primeval earth)  1a1) nothingness, empty space  1b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig) 1c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)  1d) place of chaos  1e) vanity  Origin:  from an unused root meaning to lie waste;  Usage:  vain, vanity, confusion, without form, wilderness, nought, nothing, empty place, waste.

0922  בֹּהוּ    bohuw {bo'-hoo} and EMPTINESS, VOID

Meaning:  1) emptiness, void, waste  Origin:  from an unused root (meaning to be empty);  Usage:  void, emptiness.

2821 חָשַׁךְ     chashak {khaw-shak'}

Meaning:  1) to be or become dark, grow dim, be darkened, be black, be hidden 1a)  1a1) to be or grow dark 1a2) to have a dark colour 1a3) to grow dim 1b)  1b1) to make dark, cause to be dark 1b2) to hide, conceal 1b3) to obscure, confuse (fig.)   Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  darken, dark, blacker, darkness, dim, hideth.
[2822]   חֹשֶׁךְ   choshek {kho-shek'}  and DARKNESS
Meaning:  1) darkness, obscurity 1a) darkness 1b) secret place  Origin:  from 2821; Usage:  darkness, dark, obscurity, night.

6437   פָּנָה   panah {paw-naw'}

Meaning:  1) to turn 1a)  1a1) to turn toward or from or away 1a2) to turn and do 1a3) to turn, decline (of day) 1a4) to turn toward, approach (of evening) 1a5) to turn and look, look, look back or at or after or for 1b)  to turn away, put out of the way, make clear, clear away 1c)  1c1) to turn 1c2) to make a turn, show signs of turning, turn back 1d)  to be turned back  Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  turn, look, prepare, regard, respect, look back, turn away, turn back.
[6440] פָּנִים     paniym {paw-neem'} pl. (but always as sing.) paneh {paw-neh'}  on the FACE
Meaning:  1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of   Origin:  from 6437;  Usage:  before, face, presence, because, sight, countenance, from, person, upon, of, ...me, against, ...him, open, for, toward.

8415   תְּהוֹם   tehowm {teh-home'} or   תְּהֹם   tehom {teh-home'}  of the SEA, DEEP, SHEOL

Meaning:  1) deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea 1a) deep (of subterranean waters) 1b) deep, sea, abysses (of sea) 1c) primeval ocean, deep 1d) deep, depth (of river) 1e) abyss, Sheol  Origin:  from 1949;  Usage:  deep, depth, deep places.

0363 רָחַף     rachaph {raw-khaf'}  the Spirit of Elohim was HOVERING, DANCING over the face

Meaning:  1)  to grow soft, relax  2)  to hover   Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  shake, move, flutter.

4325   מַיִם   mayim {mah'-yim}  of the SEA, WATERS

Meaning:  1) water, waters 1a) water 1b) water of the feet, urine 1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)   Origin:  dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);  Usage:  water, waters, watersprings, washing, watercourse, waterflood, watering.



 

Bereishit (Genesis) 1:3-5

³ Then Elohim said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

⁴ And Elohim saw the light, that it was good; and Elohim divided the light in the midst of the darkness.
⁵ Elohim proclaimed the light Day, and the darkness He proclaimed Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

Gen. 1:3  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃   

 וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃Gen. 1:4    

 

Gen. 1:5   וַיִּקְרָ֙א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃   

0215   אוֹר   'owr {ore}

Meaning:  1) to be or become light, shine 1a)  1a1) to become light (day) 1a2) to shine (of the sun) 1a3) to become bright 1b)  1b1) to be illuminated 1b2) to become lighted up 1c)  1c1) to give light, shine (of sun, moon, and stars) 1c2) to illumine, light up, cause to shine, shine 1c3) to kindle, light (candle, wood) 1c4) lighten (of the eyes, his law, etc) 1c5) to make shine (of the face)  Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  light, shine, enlighten, break of day, fire, give, glorious, kindle.
[0216]   אוֹר   'owr {ore}  Then Elohim said, “Let there be LIGHT”; and there was LIGHT.
Meaning:  1) light 1a) light of day 1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars) 1c) day-break, dawn, morning light 1d) daylight 1e) lightning 1f) light of lamp 1g) light of life 1h) light of prosperity 1i) light of instruction 1j) light of face (fig.) 1k) Jehovah as Israel's light  Origin:  from 215;  Usage:  light(s), day, bright, clear, flood, herbs, lightning, morning, sun.

7200 רָאָה     ra'ah {raw-aw'}  And Elohim SAW the light,

Meaning:  1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a)  1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1b)  1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c)  to be seen 1d)  1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e)  1e1) to be caused to see, be shown 1e2) to be exhibited to 1f)  to look at each other, face  Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  see, look, behold, shew, appear, consider, seer, spy, respect, perceive, provide, regard, enjoy, lo, foreseeth, heed.

3588   כִּי   kiy {kee}   BECAUSE

Meaning:  1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore  Origin:  a primitive particle;  Usage:  that, because, for, if, surely, except, yea, doubtless.

2895   טוֹב   towb {tobe}

Meaning:  1) to be good, be pleasing, be joyful, be beneficial, be pleasant, be favourable, be happy, be right 1a)  1a1) to be pleasant, be delightful 1a2) to be glad, be joyful 1a3) to be better 1a4) to be well with, be good for 1a5) to be pleasing 1b)  to do well, do good, act right, act rightly  Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  ...well, good, please, goodly, better, cheer, comely, do, pleased.
[2896] טוֹב     towb {tobe}  it was GOOD;
Meaning:  1) good, pleasant, agreeable 1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses) 1b) pleasant (to the higher nature) 1c) good, excellent (of its kind) 1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation 1e) good, appropriate, becoming 1f) better (comparative) 1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature) 1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature) 1i) good, kind, benign 1j) good, right (ethical) 2) a good thing, benefit, welfare 2a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 2b) good things (collective) 2c) good, benefit 2d) moral good n f 3) welfare, benefit, good things 3a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 3b) good things (collective) 3c) bounty  Origin:  from 2895;  Usage:  good, better, well, goodness, goodly, best, merry, fair, prosperity, precious, fine, wealth, beautiful, fairer, favour, glad.

0914 בָּדַל     badal {baw-dal'}  and Elohim DIVIDED, SEPARATED the light

Meaning:  1) to divide, separate 1a)  1a1) to divide, separate, sever 1a2) to separate, set apart 1a3) to make a distinction, difference 1a4) to divide into parts 1b)  1b1) to separate oneself from (reflexive of 1a2) 1b2) to withdraw from 1b3) to separate oneself unto 1b4) to be separated 1b5) to be excluded 1b6) to be set apart  Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:   separate, divide, difference, asunder, severed, sever out, separation, utterly.

0995   בִּין   biyn {bene}

Meaning:  1) to discern, understand, consider 1a)  1a1) to perceive, discern 1a2) to understand, know (with the mind) 1a3) to observe, mark, give heed to,distinguish, consider 1a4) to have discernment, insight, understanding 1b)  to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding 1c)  1c1) to understand 1c2) to cause to understand, give understanding, teach 1d)  to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently 1e)  to teach, instruct  2) prudent, regard   Origin:  a primitive root;  Usage:  understand, understanding, consider, prudent, perceive, regard, discern, instruct.
[0996]   בַּיִן   beyn {bane}   in the MIDDLE, BETWEEN the darkness.
Meaning:  1) between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between Origin:  (sometimes in the pl. masc. or fem.) properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 0995; Usage:  between, betwixt, asunder, within, between, out of, from.

3117 יוֹם     yowm {yome}  Elohim proclaimed the light DAY,

Meaning:  1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow  Origin:  from an unused root meaning to be hot;  Usage:  day, time, chronicles, daily, ever, year, continually, when, as, while, full always, whole, always.

3883 לוּל     luwl {lool}  and the darkness He proclaimed NIGHT.

Meaning:  1) staircase, winding stair, shaft or enclosed space with steps or ladder  Origin:  from an unused root meaning to fold back;  Usage:  winding stair.
[3915]  לַיִל   layil {lah'-yil} or (Isa. 21:11)   לֵיל   leyl {lale} also layelah {lah'- yel-aw}
Meaning:  1) night 1a) night (as opposed to day) 1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)  Origin:  from the same as 3883; Usage:  night, nights, midnight, season.

 

Breaking This Down

Something happened between verse 1 and verse 2 that could have been as long as millions of years or much longer.  The Earth became confused, without form, and empty.  There was only darkness on the face of life in and on the sea.  The Ruach (Spirit) of Elohim was hovering over the sea that had turned into living water.  Elohim said come light.  Elohim inspected the light and after discerning it, He determined it was good.  He then put this light into and between the darkness.  You could say it is like our flesh being darkness and He places His light within us.  He called the light Day so we will always know that the Day comes right after darkness.  He called the darkness Night so we are to know He protects us from the gloom, in His shadow.  If we stay in His shadow, we will climb the cycles of ladder and grow upwards toward Him and His rest in that narrow place.  It is the same for the moon shining and reflecting the sun alone in dark space to a dark Earth.  It is little lonely Yisrael shining in the middle of a sea of dark nations.  This is the life of a person made righteous by the blood of Messiah.  This is the life of every believer who walks with Yehovah and His Son.

 

^DLZ בְּרֵאשִׁית הָיָה הַדָּבָר וְהַדָּבָר הָיָה אֵת הָאֱלֹהִים וֵאלֹהִים הָיָה הַדָּבָר׃

YOCHANAN (John) 1:1-17

¹ “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.
² He was in the beginning with Elohim.
³ All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
⁶ There came a man, sent from Elohim, whose name was Yochanan.
⁷ He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.
⁸ He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
⁹ There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
¹¹ He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of Elohim, to those who believe in His name,
¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Elohim.
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
¹⁵ Yochanan bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"
¹⁶ For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
¹⁷ For the Torah was given through Moshe; grace and truth were fully joined, accomplished, and came into being through Yeshua HaMashiach.

(1^st John 1:1-10; 1^st John 2; Proverbs 1:1-9; Proverbs 2:1-12; Proverbs 3:13-27)