Translation:Mikraot Gedolot/Genesis/1:2

Text

the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from* God sweeping over the water.

וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃:

Rashi

astonishingly empty:	תהו ובהו.
The word תֹהוּ is an expression of astonishment and desolation, that a person wonders and is astonished at the emptiness therein.	תֹּהוּ לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ וְשִׁמָּמוֹן, שֶׁאָדָם תּוֹהֵא וּמִשְׁתּוֹמֵם עַל בֹּהוּ שֶׁבָּהּ:
astonishingly empty:	תהו.
Astordison in Old French; [étourdissement in modern French], astonishment. בֹהוּ an expression of emptiness and desolation. (This does not appear in all editions.)	אשטורדי"שון בְּלַעַ"ז:
emptiness:	בהו.
an expression of emptiness and desolation. (This does not appear in all editions.)	לְשׁוֹן רֵקוּת וְצָדוּ:
on the face of the deep:	על פני תהום.
on the face of the waters which were on the earth.	עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ:
and the spirit of God was hovering:	ורוח אלהים מרחפת.
The Throne of Glory was suspended in the air and hovered over the face of the water with the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He and with His word, like a dove, which hovers over the nest, acoveter in Old French, to cover, hover over.	כִּסֵא הַכָּבוֹד עוֹמֵד בָּאֲוִיר וּמְרַחֵף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם בְּרוּחַ פִּיו שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה וּבְמַאֲמָרוֹ, כְּיוֹנָה הַמְרַחֶפֶת עַל הַקֵּן, אקוב"טיר בְּלַעַ"ז:

Ibn Ezra

And the earth:	והארץ.
this word is an unusual [form], since it appears with a kamatz in the alef when [preceded by] the hey [i.e., the definite article] in all places. It is not like “The thousand (ha’elef) for you, Shlomo” Song of Songs 8:12, or “and this stone ha’even” Genesis 28:22.	המלה הזאת זרה בעבור קמצות האלף עם הה"א בכל מקום ואיננו כמו האלף לך שלמה והאבן הזאת: