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Dr. Jim's literal translation of Genesis 1:1&2

Bereshith bara Elohim eth hashshamayim weeth haarets

wehaarets hayetah Tohu wavohu wehoshek al pene tehowm weruah Elohim merahepheth al pene hammayim

InBeginnings Created Elohim [SODO] theHeavens and[SODO] theEarth.

AndTheEarth She-Became Desolation andWaste andDarkness Over Faces theDeep andSpirit Elohim Mourning/Brooding Over Faces theWaters.

The Sign of the Direct Object is not translated into English, but we still want to show what is taking place in the original language. Where the definite article and conjunctions are attached to the front of a word in the original language, we attached it here as well.

Verse 1

InBeginings

It is one word in the original language which is why we are running it together. Notice there is no definite article. The original language has a definite article but Moses did not use it. The word for beginnings is an old plural. The idea – at some point in the beginnings, one of the beginnings, we do not know which but a beginning out of all of them.

Created

The verb comes before the subject and would be better translated as “had Created.” The form of verb is perfect tense, meaning completed, done, brought to perfection. In the first verse of Genesis, we have the Earth existing in a finished state. Dinosaurs, vegetation, and life we cannot imagine, existed already. The Earth was in a complete state.

Elohim

This name for God is plural. The entire Godhead had a hand in creation. Plural means three or more. The Hebrew language has a singular, dual, and plural.

[SODO] – Sign Of the Direct Object

The Sign of the Direct Object is not translated. Both Hebrew and Greek have a sign of the direct object. We could use [He did it to] because the sign of the direct object points which direction the action is going. “InBeginnings Created Elohim [He did it to] theHeavens and[He did it to] theEarth.” The direction of action is from subject to object. The way Dr. Phillips describes the sign of the direct object: “Extension or Limitation of Thought or Verbal Action.”

TheHeavens

The definite article is attached to the front of the word so we'll just run this together. The word for heavens is plural and its meaning is “The Uplifted Waters.” With the Earth having a water canopy, back in the early ages, it is easy to see how the uplifted waters could mean the water canopy and everything beyond even the whole universe.

And[SODO]

The conjunction is attached to the front of this word that is not translated.

TheEarth

The dry earth.

Verse 2

AndTheEarth

This is all one word so we ran it together here.

She-Became or more accurately She-Had-Become

This word is feminine, so we used a hyphen to convey that, and it's the source of much argument. Translated “was” in our English translations, it sounds good because we are so used to hearing it. But “was” is the wrong word. “Became” is the accurate translation. To see the meaning drop down to verse 4 of the creation account. “And there was Light.” It sounds good but we need to talk about the idea since Moses used a Hebrew word and not something out of King James English. “There was Light” means that light became. “There was at that time: Light” is a phrase that gives the meaning more accurately using the word “was” and what we are used to may be a shortened version of this phrase. The idea is still a change.

Follow the word “was” through the whole creation account and you will see that the idea is a change. Bear in mind that each “was” you see represents the same Hebrew word found in verse 2. The same word is used in Genesis 19:20 where Lot's wife “became” a pillar of Salt.

Desolation

This word is also found in Isaiah 45:18 with a negation in front of it describing how God created the earth. He created it “NotDesolation.” According to the rules of logic, this word found in verse 2 had nothing to do with the initial creation. Some may argue that Isaiah 45:18 just means “He didn't intend to leave it that way”, but to do so violates the rules of logic.

AndWaste

Useless , emptiness

AndDarkness

Something more than the absence of all light. Spiritual darkness Jude 13

Over

Hung-Over, Existing-Over

Faces

A plural word meaning all the faces or all the surfaces.

TheDeep

The abyss, a mass of rising muddy waters.

AndSpirit

Not Wind or Breath here but Spirit God. John 4:24