Etymology and Meaning
The name "Tohu" is derived from the Hebrew root "תֹּהוּ" (tohu), which can mean "emptiness," "confusion," or "formlessness." This term is notably used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the earth as "formless and void" before God's creative work began. In the context of the individual named Tohu, the name may imply a sense of humility or insignificance, which is often seen as a virtue in biblical narratives.

Biblical References
Tohu is a relatively obscure figure in the Bible, mentioned primarily in genealogical records. He is identified as an ancestor of the prophet Samuel, a significant figure in Israel's history.

1. 1 Samuel 1:1 · Tohu is mentioned in the genealogy of Samuel: "Now there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite." This passage situates Tohu within the lineage of the Levites, specifically within the family of Kohath, which is significant given the priestly and prophetic roles of his descendants.

2. 1 Chronicles 6:34-35 · In the genealogical records of the Levites, Tohu is again mentioned: "the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai." Here, Tohu is referred to as "Toah," a variant of his name, which is not uncommon in ancient genealogies.

Historical and Theological Context
Tohu's mention in the genealogies underscores the importance of lineage and heritage in the biblical narrative. As an ancestor of Samuel, Tohu is part of the divine plan for Israel's leadership. Samuel, as a prophet, priest, and judge, played a crucial role in transitioning Israel from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy under Saul and David.

The genealogical records in which Tohu appears serve to authenticate Samuel's Levitical heritage, emphasizing the continuity of God's covenantal promises through specific family lines. This continuity is a recurring theme in Scripture, highlighting God's faithfulness across generations.

Cultural and Religious Significance
In the broader cultural and religious context, Tohu's inclusion in the biblical record, though brief, reflects the value placed on ancestry and the transmission of faith and duty through family lines. The Levites, to whom Tohu belonged, were set apart for religious duties, and their genealogies were meticulously recorded to ensure the purity and legitimacy of their service.

Tohu's legacy, though not detailed in terms of personal achievements, is significant in the sense that it contributes to the foundation upon which Samuel's prophetic ministry was built. Samuel's leadership was pivotal in guiding Israel through a critical period of its history, and Tohu's place in this lineage underscores the interconnectedness of God's people and His purposes throughout the biblical narrative.Tohu

that lives; that declares

Tohu

(lowly), an ancestor of Samuel the prophet, perhaps the same as TOAH. (1 Samuel 1:1) comp. 1Chr 6:34

One of Samuel's ancestors (1 Samuel 1:1). TOHU

to'-hu.

See NAHATH.

8414. tohu -- formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
... tohu. 8415 . formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness. Transliteration: tohu
Phonetic Spelling: (to'-hoo) Short Definition: waste. ... tohu. 8415 . ...
/hebrew/8414.htm - 6k

8459. Tochu -- an ancestor of Samuel
... 8458, 8459. Tochu. 8460 . an ancestor of Samuel. Transliteration: Tochu
Phonetic Spelling: (to'-khoo) Short Definition: Tohu. Word ...
/hebrew/8459.htm - 6k

8460. techoth -- under
... Tohu. (Aramaic) or tchoth (Aramaic) {tekh-oth'}; corresponding to tachath; beneath --
under. see HEBREW tachath. 8459, 8460. techoth. 8461 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/8460.htm - 6k

The Seventh (And Last) vision "On Earth"
... We know, also that God did not originally create the world as it is described in
Genesis 1:2. It is there described as (...) tohu) (... vabohu) ie, empty ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the seventh and last vision.htm

Rom. xvi. 5
... And he does not say, who taught much, but "who bestowed much labor," because along
with teaching (tohu logou) she performs other ministries besides, those in ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxi rom xvi 5.htm

The Call of Matthew - the Saviour's Welcome to Sinners - Rabbinic ...
... Thus Tohu ({hebrew}) means repentance in the sense of regret; Charatah, perhaps,
more in that of a change of mind; while Teyubha or Teshubhah is the return of ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xvii the call of.htm

Mosaic Cosmogony.
... occasioned by God's wrath, and perhaps the words empty and waste' would convey to
us at present something more nearly approaching the meaning of tohu va-bohu ...
/.../temple/essays and reviews the education of the world/mosaic cosmogony.htm

Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
... Three: Water from beneath (wind), He designed and hewed in them tohu vavohu, slime
and dung - designed them like a bed (a garden bed), hewed them like a wall ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix v rabbinic theology and.htm

The Withering Work of the Spirit
... build. The earth was, as the Hebrew puts it, Tohu and Bohu, disorder and
confusion"in a word, chaos. So it is in the new creation. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the withering work of the.htm

Natural Science and Theological Science.
... [294] Besides in Genesis 1:2, the expression (tohu bohu) recurs in Jeremiah 4:23
and Isaiah 34:11,--both times with clear reference to the earlier place. ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/sermon ii natural science and.htm

Tohu (1 Occurrence)
... One of Samuel's ancestors (1 Samuel 1:1). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TOHU.
to'-hu. See NAHATH. Multi-Version Concordance Tohu (1 Occurrence). ...
/t/tohu.htm - 7k

Confusion (71 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CITY OF CONFUSION. kon-fu'-zhun (qiryath-tohu):
A name applied to Jerusalem (Isaiah 24:10 the King James Version). CONFUSION. ...
/c/confusion.htm - 39k

Zuph (3 Occurrences)
... But Budde and Wellhausen take it to be an adjective, and so read tsuphi, in 1 Samuel
1:1 b: "Tohu a Zuphite, an Ephraimite." It should probably be read also in ...
/z/zuph.htm - 9k

Desert (322 Occurrences)
... dez'-ert midhbar, chorbah, yeshimon, `arabhah, tsiyah, tohu; eremos, eremia: Midhbar,
the commonest word for "desert," more often rendered "wilderness," is ...
/d/desert.htm - 46k

Elihu (11 Occurrences)
... 37). (2.) The son of Tohu, and grandfather of Elkanah (1 Samuel 1:1). He
is called also Eliel (1 Chronicles 6:34) and Eliab (6:27). ...
/e/elihu.htm - 15k

Zophim (2 Occurrences)
... was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name
was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son ...
/z/zophim.htm - 8k

Zuphite (1 Occurrence)
... was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite of the hill-country of Ephraim, named
Elkanah; he was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son ...
/z/zuphite.htm - 6k

Nothing (769 Occurrences)
... end," "cessation" (Isaiah 34:12); bilti, "without," "save," "not" (Isaiah 44:10
Amos 3:4); 'ayin, "there is not" (Isaiah 41:24); once, tohu, "emptiness" (Job 6 ...
/n/nothing.htm - 40k

Nahath (5 Occurrences)
... (2) A descendant of Levi and ancestor of Samuel (1 Chronicles 6:26); also called
"Toah" (1 Chronicles 6:34) and "Tohu" (1 Samuel 1:1). (3) A Levite who, in the ...
/n/nahath.htm - 9k

Nought (104 Occurrences)
... is the translation of chinnam, "gratis" (Genesis 29:15), and of various other words
occurring once only, eg 'awen, "vanity" (Amos 5:5); tohu, "vacancy," "ruin ...
/n/nought.htm - 38k

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