Genesis 1:2 bbe — And the earth was waste and without form; and it was dark on the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was moving on…

Genesis 1:2 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “And the earth was waste and without form; and it was dark on the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was moving on the face of the waters.”

Genesis 1:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 2.

Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional). Anciently attributed to Moses; many modern scholars view Genesis as a compilation of older oral and written sources finalized in or after the Babylonian exile. It was written c. 1446–1406 BC.

Genesis is the book of beginnings — the origin of the universe, humanity, sin, and the covenant family God chose to bless the nations. It traces creation, the fall, the flood, and the lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, laying the foundation for the rest of Scripture and pointing forward to the redemption that comes through the promised seed.

Genesis explores themes including Creation, Fall, Covenant, Faith, Family, Promise. These themes shape the meaning and context of Genesis 1:2.

Genesis 1:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.

Genesis 1:2 reads (BBE): “And the earth was waste and without form; and it was dark on the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was moving on the face of the waters.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.