The Hebrew word *hayah* (H1961), translated as "was" in Genesis 1:2, carries significant meaning in understanding the state of the earth after its initial creation. This same word is rendered as "became" in Genesis 19:26, where Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, indicating a change of state. In Genesis 1:1, God created the heavens and the earth, possibly millions or billions of years in the past. By verse 2, the earth is described as being without form and void, suggesting that it became a state of waste and ruin at some point after its creation. This transformation aligns with the use of *hayah* to denote a shift or becoming, pointing to a period of change or devastation before the renewal described in the subsequent verses of Genesis 1.

The Hebrew word *hayah* (H1961), translated as "was" in Genesis 1:2, carries the meaning of "became" in various contexts. In Genesis 1:2, where the earth is described as without form and void, the implication is that the earth became chaotic, indicating a change from a previous state. This understanding is supported by its usage in other passages, such as Genesis 19:26, Genesis 2:7, and Genesis 9:15, where *hayah* often denotes a transformation or a condition different from a former state. The Rotherham translation of Genesis 1:2 renders it as the earth having become waste and empty, reinforcing that it was not originally created in chaos. This shift to a state of disorder, as described in Genesis 1:2, suggests that an event or sin caused the earth to become chaotic after its initial perfect creation.

The Hebrew word *hayah* (H1961), translated as "was" in Genesis 1:2, is significant in understanding the state of the earth during its early history. This same word is translated as "became" in Genesis 19:26, where Lot's wife became a pillar of salt, indicating a change from a previous condition. In Genesis 1:2, it suggests that the earth became without form and void, implying it was not originally in that chaotic state but transitioned into it. In the first three chapters of the Bible, and in many other places, *hayah* often denotes a condition different from a former one, reinforcing the idea that the earth became chaotic after its initial creation. The Rotherham translation of Genesis 1:2 renders it as "Now the Earth had become waste and empty," further supporting that it had not always been in such a state but came to be so, likely as a result of sin between the events of Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.