Every child has heard the term “tohuwabohu” at some point, but its origin is often unclear. What many people don’t know is that the word has its roots in the Holy Scriptures.
Tohuwabohu: Origin in Hebrew provides clarity
Tohuwabohu reigns in the children’s room or on your own desk. Every child and teenager has probably heard their parents ask, with slight indignation, “What is this tohuwabohu?”
Usually, the answer to the question becomes clear at a glance into the room or onto the desk. Books, clothes, toys, and other objects are scattered everywhere—on cupboards, on the floor, and on the bed. There is no sign of order—and that is precisely what chaos means: a great disorder, even chaos.
The word “tohu wahu” is a loanword from Hebrew and refers to a healing mess or chaos. It comes from the Hebrew Bible, more specifically from the Book of Genesis, the story of creation in the Old Testament.
There, the term tohū wā-bōhū (תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ) is used to describe the original state of the earth before creation, which was disordered, empty, and desolate. Tohū means “emptiness,” “desolation,” or even “nothingness,” while bōhū means ‘emptiness’ or “disorder.” In the Bible, this combination of words is used as a hendiadys to describe the extreme desolation and absolute chaos before God’s creative intervention (Genesis 1:2).
Since the 19th century, Tohuwabohu has been used in the German language to describe disorderly chaos without rules or structure. The term is often found in old-fashioned novels (including those by Karl May) and can still be heard today from the mouths of many parents standing in messy children’s rooms. Many people are unaware that tohuwabohu has Christian origins.
Many people are also familiar with the term “Tohuwabohu” from films, children’s books, radio plays, TV shows, and social media, where it is often used to describe a healing mess in a vivid and sympathetic way. Children and young people in particular encounter the word in animated series or family television, which contributes to its popularity and positive connotation.
In short, the meaning of the term has changed over time. While “tohuwabohu” originally described the idea of a formless, empty, and unformed primordial state, today it is mostly used humorously and figuratively to describe any kind of major mess—for example, in the home, office, or at events. The original biblical meaning of profound chaos and disorder has been retained, but the expression is often used playfully or ironically.
Chaos in linguistic usage
This section deals with the linguistic usage of the term, including synonyms and relationships to other languages.
Synonyms and their use: Similar expressions include “mess,” “confusion,” “jumble,” “chaos,” or “disorder.” While “mess” and “confusion” are neutral terms for disorder, ‘jumble’ often describes a rather colorful, chaotic mess with a humorous note.
“Chaos” is the most comprehensive term and often emphasizes an extreme, confusing situation. “Tohuwabohu,” on the other hand, has a particularly impressive effect due to its exotic origin and is mostly used in a humorous context depending on the situation.
Linguistic relationship to other languages: The term is unique in German, having been adopted directly from Hebrew. A close relative in English is the word “chaos,” which comes from the Greek “χάος” and also stands for inscrutable disorder.
In French, ‘désordre’ can be cited as a general expression for disorder—but it lacks the biblical-mythical depth of “Tohuwabohu.” These linguistic parallels show that the concept of primordial chaos and disorder is a universal idea that has been expressed differently in different languages.
