The Meaning of Jeremiah 4:23 Explained

Jeremiah 4:23

KJV: I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

YLT: I looked to the land, and lo, waste and void, And unto the heavens, and their light is not.

Darby: I beheld the earth, and lo, it was waste and empty; and the heavens, and they had no light.

ASV: I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was waste and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I beheld  the earth,  and, lo, [it was] without form,  and void;  and the heavens,  and they [had] no light. 

What does Jeremiah 4:23 Mean?

Study Notes

without form and void
Cf. Genesis 1:2 . "Without form and void" describes the condition of the earth as the result of judgment; Jeremiah 4:24-26 ; Isaiah 24:1 which overthrew the primal order of Genesis 1:1 . SCOFIELD'S "GAP" THEORY!
For Another Point of View: See Topic 401495 (Gap Theory) For Another Point of View: See Topic 8756

Verse Meaning

Jeremiah described the land of Judah, after the coming devastation, as appearing completely desolate: like the earth and heavens before God formed and filled them. He suggested that they would return to primeval chaos.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 4

1  God calls Israel by his promise
3  He exhorts Judah to repentance by fearful judgments
19  A grievous lamentation for Judah

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 4:23 mean?

I beheld - the earth and indeed [it was] without form and void and the heavens and no they had] light
רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־ הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִנֵּה־ תֹ֖הוּ וָבֹ֑הוּ וְאֶל־ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ין אוֹרָֽם

רָאִ֙יתִי֙  I  beheld 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְהִנֵּה־  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
תֹ֖הוּ  [it  was]  without  form 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֹּהוּ  
Sense: formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness.
וָבֹ֑הוּ  and  void 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּהוּ  
Sense: emptiness, void, waste.
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אוֹרָֽם  they  had]  light 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.