Tehom Meaning תְּהוֹם - Biblical Meaning of the Deep
A Scholarly and Educational Study of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Gospels of Yeshua, and the Book of Revelation
Introduction: Understanding תְּהוֹם
The Hebrew word תְּהוֹם (tehom), commonly translated as “the deep,” “the depths,” or “the abyss,” is a significant biblical term associated with the primordial waters, the depths of the seas, and the imagery of overwhelming waters. Its meaning becomes clearer when studied in its original Hebrew context and in relation to the broader biblical themes of creation, divine sovereignty, judgment, deliverance, and the final triumph of the Holy One of Israel.
For a Jewish audience studying the Hebrew Scriptures alongside the Gospels of Yeshua (ישוע, Jesus) and the Book of Revelation, it is important to distinguish between the Hebrew meaning of tehom, the related Greek terms used in the New Testament, and the theological interpretations that emerge when these writings are read together.
The central principle of this study is that תְּהוֹם does not automatically mean hell, Satan's kingdom, or a demonic realm. Its meaning depends on the passage in which it appears. The biblical text must determine the interpretation rather than a preconceived theological system.
This study examines tehom through the Tanakh (תנ״ך), the Gospels, and Revelation, using Scripture to establish the meaning and significance of the term.
1. The Hebrew Definition of תְּהוֹם
The Hebrew noun תְּהוֹם (tehom) refers primarily to the deep, especially the depths of primordial waters or the depths of the sea.
It belongs to the vocabulary of the Hebrew Bible describing the natural world as it relates to the Creator's ordering and sustaining power.
The word appears in several important contexts:
Creation: The deep exists at the beginning of the biblical creation narrative.
The seas and waters: It describes profound or immeasurable depths.
The imagery of abundance: Deep waters can symbolize fertility, provision, or the fullness of creation.
Divine judgment and deliverance: The depths of the sea can become instruments through which God judges evil and delivers His people.
Poetic and prophetic imagery: The deep may communicate overwhelming circumstances or the magnitude of God's works.
The precise meaning must be determined by context. The same Hebrew word can evoke different associations without changing its fundamental reference to the deep.
A linguistic distinction
The Hebrew תְּהוֹם (tehom) should not be confused with every biblical expression translated as “pit,” “grave,” “Sheol,” “hell,” or “abyss.”
For example:
תְּהוֹם — tehom: The deep or depths.
שְׁאוֹל — She'ol: The realm of the dead or the grave, depending on context.
בּוֹר — bor: A pit, cistern, or figurative pit.
אֲבַדּוֹן — Avaddon: Destruction or the place associated with destruction.
ἄβυσσος — abyssos: The Greek term commonly translated as “abyss” or “bottomless pit” in certain New Testament passages.
These words can overlap in imagery, but they are not interchangeable in every passage.
2. תְּהוֹם in the Creation Account
The foundational occurrence of tehom is found in the opening verses of the Torah.
Genesis 1:2
“And darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
— Genesis 1:2, King James Version
The Hebrew expression is:
וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם
Veḥoshekh al-penei tehom.
“And darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
The verse describes the earth as unformed and unfilled, with darkness over the deep and the Spirit of God moving over the waters.
What does tehom mean here?
In Genesis 1:2, tehom refers to the deep primordial waters in the creation narrative. The text does not identify the deep as Satan, a demonic being, or a place of punishment.
The distinction is essential. Although darkness and the deep may carry ominous associations in other biblical contexts, Genesis 1:2 does not explicitly portray the deep as an independent evil power.
Instead, the narrative proceeds to describe God's sovereign activity in bringing order to creation.
Genesis 1:3
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
— Genesis 1:3, King James Version
The Hebrew declaration is:
יְהִי אוֹר — Yehi or.
“Let there be light.”
The movement of the passage is from the initial condition of the earth to God's ordering command. The deep does not rival the Creator. God alone speaks with authority.
The theological lesson
For a Jewish reader, this passage emphasizes the sovereignty of אֱלֹהִים (Elohim), God, over the created order.
The deep may appear vast and mysterious from the human perspective, but it is not beyond God's authority.
This is one of the most important interpretive principles for understanding tehom: the deep is never presented in Genesis as a power equal to the God of Israel.
3. תְּהוֹם and the Waters of Creation
The imagery of the deep appears elsewhere in the Tanakh, particularly in passages celebrating God's wisdom and creative power.
Psalm 104:5–6
“Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.”
— Psalm 104:5–6, King James Version
This passage describes the earth in poetic language, emphasizing God's command over the waters.
The deep is depicted as part of the created world that responds to God's ordering activity. It is not described as an autonomous spiritual kingdom.
Psalm 104 also teaches that creation depends continually on divine provision. The waters, mountains, springs, animals, and human beings all exist within an ordered creation sustained by God.
Proverbs 8:24–29 similarly describes the depths and springs in a poetic account of divine Wisdom's presence in the ordering of creation.
The Hebrew concept of wisdom, חָכְמָה (ḥokhmah), is closely associated with the order and intelligibility of the created world.
Thus, tehom participates in a larger biblical picture: the creation may be immeasurably deep, but it remains within the dominion of its Maker.
4. תְּהוֹם as an Image of Abundance and Blessing
Not every reference to the deep is fearful or negative.
In the Torah, the deep can be associated with the abundance of the earth and the blessings of God.
Genesis 49:25
In Jacob's blessing of Joseph, the Hebrew text includes:
“Blessings of the deep that coucheth beneath...”
— Genesis 49:25, King James Version
The phrase in Hebrew is:
בִּרְכֹת תְּהוֹם רֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת
Birḵot tehom rovetset taḥat.
“Blessings of the deep that lies beneath.”
Here, the deep is associated with blessing rather than punishment. The imagery evokes the hidden sources of abundance beneath the earth.
This passage challenges the assumption that tehom always represents darkness, danger, or spiritual opposition.
In the biblical imagination, the depths may inspire awe, but they may also signify the richness of creation and the generosity of the Creator.
An important interpretive principle
A word does not carry every possible association into every passage. Genesis 1:2, Genesis 49:25, and Psalm 104 must each be read according to their literary and theological settings.
The deep can be associated with the primordial waters in one passage and with blessing in another. The context determines which association is intended.
5. תְּהוֹם and the Exodus: The Deep Under God's Authority
One of the most powerful biblical demonstrations of God's sovereignty over the waters occurs in the Exodus narrative.
When Israel leaves Egypt, the sea becomes the setting for deliverance from Pharaoh's pursuing army.
Exodus 15:5
“The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.”
— Exodus 15:5, King James Version
The Hebrew word translated “depths” in this verse is related to the vocabulary of the deep waters.
The Song of the Sea celebrates God's victory over the Egyptian forces. The waters that appeared to block Israel's escape become the means through which God delivers His people.
The song continues:
Exodus 15:8
“And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.”
— Exodus 15:8, King James Version
This is poetic language celebrating divine power over the sea.
The sea is not portrayed as an independent force that God must negotiate with as an equal. Rather, the waters respond to God's command.
The spiritual lesson
The Exodus account establishes an important pattern in biblical theology:
God's people face an overwhelming obstacle.
The obstacle appears beyond human control.
God acts in sovereign power.
Deliverance reveals God's faithfulness and authority.
The deep can therefore serve as an image of overwhelming circumstances, but it is not inherently a symbol of evil.
For Jewish readers, this pattern also recalls the enduring significance of the Exodus as a foundational expression of redemption, covenant faithfulness, and the identity of Israel.
6. תְּהוֹם in the Prophets and Psalms
The Hebrew Scriptures frequently use the language of the depths to express the immensity of God's works.
Consider Psalm 77, which remembers the Exodus and portrays the waters as responding to divine power.
Psalm 77:16
“The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.”
— Psalm 77:16, King James Version
The poetry personifies the waters. They are described as though they perceive God's presence and tremble before Him.
This is a literary expression of divine majesty rather than a literal account of the waters possessing human consciousness.
The imagery reinforces a consistent biblical theme: the deepest and most overwhelming aspects of creation remain subject to God.
A distinction between the literal and the symbolic
Biblical poetry often uses physical realities to express spiritual truths. Deep waters may evoke fear, chaos, danger, or overwhelming circumstances. Yet these associations arise from the particular poem or narrative; they do not establish that tehom always means spiritual darkness.
The careful student of Scripture must ask:
Is the passage describing the physical world?
Is it recounting a historical event?
Is it using poetic imagery?
Is it employing prophetic symbolism?
These questions prevent a single definition from being imposed upon every occurrence.
7. The Greek Word ἄβυσσος (Abyssos) in the Gospels
When moving from the Tanakh to the Gospels of Yeshua, a linguistic distinction becomes necessary.
The Gospels were transmitted in Greek, and the Greek term ἄβυσσος (abyssos), commonly translated “abyss,” is related in meaning to the idea of profound depth.
However, abyssos is not the Hebrew word tehom. They are words from different languages with overlapping semantic associations. Their meanings must be established from their respective contexts.
Luke 8:30–31: Yeshua and the abyss
In Luke's account of Yeshua encountering a man afflicted by many demons, the spirits plead with Yeshua not to command them to depart into the abyss.
Luke 8:31
“And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.”
— Luke 8:31, King James Version
The Greek word translated “deep” here is abyssos.
In this narrative, the term refers to a feared place of confinement or punishment for the spirits. The context gives the word a supernatural significance that is not present in every occurrence of the concept of depth.
This distinction is fundamental.
In Genesis 1:2, tehom describes the primordial deep. In Luke 8:31, abyssos appears in a narrative involving demonic spirits and the authority of Yeshua.
The two passages may be compared thematically, but they should not be treated as though they use the same word or make exactly the same claim.
What does this teach about Yeshua?
Within the Gospel narrative, the spirits recognize Yeshua's authority and fear His command.
The emphasis is not that the abyss possesses greater authority than Yeshua. Rather, the narrative presents Yeshua as exercising authority over the spirits and their fate.
For readers who study Yeshua within the context of Jewish Scripture, this theme invites comparison with the Tanakh's repeated portrayal of God's supremacy over creation and the forces that threaten human life.
Nevertheless, the precise theological conclusions drawn from that comparison depend on one's interpretive framework.
8. Yeshua's Teaching and the Language of the Depths
The Gospels contain several teachings that employ the imagery of the sea, storms, and overwhelming waters. These passages should not automatically be interpreted as references to the abyss.
In Mark 4:35–41, Yeshua calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples are frightened, and Yeshua rebukes the wind and commands the sea to be still.
Mark 4:39
“Peace, be still.”
— Mark 4:39, King James Version
The Greek expression is:
Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο.
Siōpa, pephimōso.
“Be silent; be muzzled.”
This is not a passage that uses the word tehom or abyssos. It is relevant to the broader theme of divine authority over threatening waters, but it must not be presented as a direct definition of either term.
The narrative shows Yeshua exercising authority over the storm, while the disciples respond with astonishment and ask who He is.
For a Jewish audience, this scene may be read alongside passages in the Tanakh in which God alone commands the sea and rules over the waters.
For example, Psalm 107:28–29 describes people crying out to the Lord in their distress and the Lord stilling the storm.
Such a comparison is a theological parallel, not proof that every Gospel reference to the sea means the primordial deep.
The interpretive lesson
When studying the Gospels, it is useful to distinguish between:
A direct occurrence of a particular word.
An image that resembles the imagery associated with that word.
A theological connection drawn by comparing two passages.
All three approaches can be valuable, but they are not the same kind of evidence.
9. The Abyss in the Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation makes extensive use of the Greek term abyssos. Its imagery differs significantly from the creation account in Genesis.
Revelation is an apocalyptic text: it communicates through visions, symbols, heavenly scenes, judgment imagery, and depictions of the ultimate defeat of evil.
Its imagery should therefore be interpreted with attention to its literary form and its relationship to the rest of Scripture.
Revelation 9:1–2: The key to the abyss
Revelation describes a star that falls from heaven and receives the key to the bottomless pit.
Revelation 9:2
“And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace...”
— Revelation 9:2, King James Version
The Greek term translated “bottomless pit” is abyssos.
Here, the abyss is associated with smoke, judgment, and the emergence of destructive forces within John's vision.
The meaning is therefore determined by the imagery and action of the passage, not merely by the general concept of depth.
The abyss in Revelation is a place over which authority is exercised and from which judgment-related events unfold.
Revelation 20:1–3: Satan bound in the abyss
Another major passage appears in Revelation 20.
Revelation 20:1–3 describes an angel descending from heaven with the key to the abyss and a great chain. The angel seizes the dragon, identified as the Devil and Satan, binds him, and casts him into the abyss.
The text states that the abyss is shut and sealed over him so that he cannot deceive the nations until the appointed period has ended.
Several observations are important:
The abyss is associated with the confinement of Satan.
Satan does not control the abyss in this scene; an angel acts under divine authority.
The confinement is limited by the period specified in the vision.
The passage emphasizes the restriction of Satan's activity and the ultimate sovereignty of God.
The passage therefore does not teach that Satan is the sovereign ruler of an independent underworld.
Instead, Revelation portrays his confinement as an act of judgment permitted and directed by a higher authority.
Is the abyss in Revelation identical to תְּהוֹם in Genesis?
Not precisely.
Genesis uses the Hebrew word tehom to describe the deep in the creation narrative. Revelation uses the Greek word abyssos in an apocalyptic vision involving spiritual beings and judgment.
The words are related conceptually through the imagery of profound depth, but the literary and theological functions of the passages differ.
It is reasonable to explore thematic connections between the creation waters, the sea, and the abyss. It is not responsible to claim that Genesis 1:2 explicitly describes the same place as Revelation 20.
10. The Abyss, Sheol, and Gehenna: Why the Distinction Matters
A careful study of tehom must distinguish the term from other biblical expressions associated with death, judgment, and the afterlife.
תְּהוֹם (Tehom)
The deep or depths, especially the primordial waters or the depths of the sea.
שְׁאוֹל (She'ol)
The realm of the dead, or the grave, according to context. It appears throughout the Tanakh and should not automatically be equated with the later popular conception of hell as a place of eternal torment.
γέεννα (Gehenna)
A Greek term used in the Gospels for a place or condition associated with judgment. It is distinct from abyssos.
For example, Matthew 10:28 distinguishes the killing of the body from God's authority over both soul and body in Gehenna.
ᾅδης (Hades)
A Greek term associated with the realm of the dead. Revelation 20:13–14 distinguishes Hades from the lake of fire in its vision of final judgment.
ἄβυσσος (Abyssos)
The abyss or bottomless pit, particularly in the apocalyptic and supernatural contexts in which the New Testament employs it.
These terms can participate in related theological discussions, but they should not be collapsed into a single category.
A translation may sometimes use related English words for different original-language terms. That fact alone does not prove that the original terms are identical.
For the Jewish student of Scripture, attention to Hebrew and Greek vocabulary is essential to avoiding confusion.
11. Does תְּהוֹם Mean Chaos?
The answer requires qualification.
In some ancient Near Eastern creation traditions, the sea is represented as a divine or hostile power. Genesis, however, presents the God of Israel as sovereign over the deep without narrating a battle between equal divine opponents.
The Hebrew word tehom is sometimes discussed in relation to the Akkadian term tiāmtu or tâmtu, meaning sea, and the name Tiamat in the Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish.
Scholars have debated the relationship between these words and traditions. Linguistic resemblance and shared ancient Near Eastern imagery are important subjects of study, but they do not by themselves establish that the biblical author intended the deep to represent a Babylonian goddess.
Genesis 1:2 does not identify tehom as a goddess or personify it as an enemy of God.
The biblical narrative emphasizes God's creative command.
It is therefore reasonable to say that the deep can be associated with the unformed or unordered state of creation in Genesis. It is not accurate to insist that the word itself always means chaos, evil, or demonic activity.
The distinction between a word's meaning and its literary associations is essential to sound biblical interpretation.
12. A Unified Biblical Theme: God Rules Over the Deep
Although tehom in Genesis and abyssos in Revelation belong to different literary settings, the passages can be read together around a broad theological theme: God's sovereignty over creation, judgment, and the forces that threaten His purposes.
The Tanakh declares God's authority over the waters. The Gospels depict Yeshua commanding storms and exercising authority over spirits. Revelation portrays divine judgment restricting the activity of Satan and bringing the present order toward its appointed conclusion.
These themes are related, but their relationship should be established through careful comparison rather than by claiming that every passage refers to the same physical or spiritual location.
A helpful way to organize the evidence is as follows:
| Biblical passage | Original-language term or image | Primary emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 1:2 | תְּהוֹם (tehom) | The deep in the creation account |
| Genesis 49:25 | תְּהוֹם (tehom) | The deep as a source of blessing |
| Exodus 15:5, 8 | Deep waters | God's victory and Israel's deliverance |
| Luke 8:31 | ἄβυσσος (abyssos) | The spirits' fear of confinement |
| Mark 4:35–41 | The stormy sea | Yeshua's authority over the storm |
| Revelation 9:1–2 | ἄβυσσος (abyssos) | The opening of the abyss in an apocalyptic vision |
| Revelation 20:1–3 | ἄβυσσος (abyssos) | Satan's confinement under divine authority |
The table distinguishes direct vocabulary from thematic parallels. Mark 4, for example, illustrates authority over threatening waters but does not use the term tehom or abyssos.
13. Practical Lessons for Biblical Study
The study of tehom offers several lessons for readers seeking to interpret Scripture faithfully.
Lesson 1: Begin with the original language
When a word appears significant, examine its Hebrew or Greek form, its immediate context, and its usage elsewhere in Scripture.
A single English translation may conceal distinctions between words that are different in the original language.
Lesson 2: Do not make every occurrence mean the same thing
The deep in Genesis is not automatically the abyss of Revelation. Similar imagery does not erase the differences between narrative, poetry, Gospel teaching, and apocalyptic vision.
Lesson 3: Distinguish Scripture from interpretation
Genesis 1:2 states that darkness was upon the face of the deep. It does not explicitly state that Satan lived in the deep before creation.
Revelation 20 describes Satan being bound and confined in the abyss. It does not establish that the abyss is identical to the waters of Genesis 1:2.
Those claims go beyond what the passages explicitly say.
Lesson 4: Recognize the authority of the Creator
The recurring biblical emphasis is not the independent power of the deep but the supremacy of God.
Psalm 95:5–6 celebrates the Lord as the one to whom the sea belongs because He made it, and the land belongs because His hands formed it.
The proper response is worship, humility, and trust.
Lesson 5: Read the Gospels and Revelation in their own literary contexts
Yeshua's calming of the storm is a narrative about His authority and the disciples' response. The abyss in Revelation belongs to a visionary depiction of judgment and the defeat of evil.
Both may contribute to a broader theological reflection, but neither should be used to redefine tehom without linguistic evidence.
Conclusion: The Meaning of תְּהוֹם
The Hebrew word תְּהוֹם (tehom) means the deep or the depths, especially in reference to primordial waters or the depths of the sea.
In Genesis, the deep belongs to the setting of creation and is subject to God's sovereign authority. In the Torah and the Psalms, deep waters may be associated with blessing, deliverance, danger, or the immensity of God's works. The context determines the particular emphasis.
In the Gospels and Revelation, the related Greek term ἄβυσσος (abyssos) appears in passages that describe the confinement of spirits and the apocalyptic judgment of evil. These texts offer important theological comparisons, but they do not establish that tehom and abyssos always refer to one identical place.
For a Jewish audience, the most responsible conclusion is to let the Tanakh establish the Hebrew word's meaning and then examine how later writings employ related imagery.
The deep is not inherently Satan, hell, or an independent kingdom of darkness. It is a biblical term whose significance depends on its context.
Above all, the Scriptures consistently affirm that the depths of creation, the waters of the sea, and the forces associated with judgment remain under divine authority.
As the Psalmist declares:
“The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.”
— Psalm 95:5, King James Version
And the appropriate response follows in the next verse:
“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”
— Psalm 95:6, King James Version
סוֹף דָּבָר — Sof davar, the conclusion of the matter: תְּהוֹם speaks of the deep, but the biblical message is ultimately about the One who rules over it.
The depth of creation does not diminish the greatness of its Creator.
Selected Biblical References for Further Study
Tanakh
Genesis 1:1–10
Genesis 49:22–26
Exodus 15:1–10
Psalm 36:6
Psalm 77:16–20
Psalm 95:3–6
Psalm 104:5–9
Proverbs 8:22–29
Gospels of Yeshua
Matthew 8:23–27
Matthew 10:28
Mark 4:35–41
Luke 8:26–33
Luke 8:31
Book of Revelation
Revelation 9:1–11
Revelation 11:7
Revelation 17:8
Revelation 20:1–3
Revelation 20:11–14
Suggested study method: Read each passage in its full literary context, consult a Hebrew or Greek interlinear Bible where appropriate, compare several reputable translations, and distinguish the original wording from later theological interpretation.
Scriptural quotations above are from the King James Version. Hebrew and Greek phrases are provided for educational study; transliterations are approximate.
The biblical references and scholarly resources relevant to the article on תְּהוֹם (Tehom), meaning “the deep.”
1. Tanakh — Hebrew Bible
Genesis
Genesis 1:1–10: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.1.1-10
Genesis 49:22–26: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.49.22-26
Exodus
- Exodus 15:1–10: https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.15.1-10
Psalms
Psalm 36:6: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.36.6
Psalm 77:16–20: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.77.16-20
Psalm 95:3–6: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.95.3-6
Psalm 104:5–9: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.104.5-9
Proverbs
- Proverbs 8:22–29: https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.8.22-29
Sefaria provides access to Jewish biblical texts and translations, with Hebrew text available for comparison.
2. The Gospels of Yeshua
The following links provide the cited passages in the King James Version through Bible Gateway.
Matthew 8:23–27: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%208%3A23-27&version=KJV
Matthew 10:28: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010%3A28&version=KJV
Mark 4:35–41: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%204%3A35-41&version=KJV
Luke 8:26–33: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208%3A26-33&version=KJV
3. Book of Revelation
Revelation 9:1–11: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%209%3A1-11&version=KJV
Revelation 11:7: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2011%3A7&version=KJV
Revelation 17:8: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2017%3A8&version=KJV
Revelation 20:1–3: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2020%3A1-3&version=KJV
Revelation 20:11–14: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2020%3A11-14&version=KJV
4. Hebrew and Greek word-study resources
These resources can help you examine the original words and their usage.
STEP Bible — original-language biblical study: https://www.stepbible.org/
Bible Hub Hebrew lexicon: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/
Bible Hub Greek lexicon: https://biblehub.com/greek/
Blue Letter Bible — Hebrew and Greek concordances: https://www.blueletterbible.org/
Sefaria — Hebrew Bible and Jewish textual resources: https://www.sefaria.org/
For tehom, search for the Hebrew spelling תְּהוֹם or Strong's Hebrew number H8415.
For abyssos, search for the Greek spelling ἄβυσσος or Strong's Greek number G12.
5. Ancient Near Eastern background
The article also briefly discussed the possible linguistic and cultural relationship between Hebrew tehom and ancient Near Eastern traditions concerning the sea.
For further research:
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature: https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/
The Internet Archive (for locating editions and translations of Enuma Elish): https://archive.org/
The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago: https://isac.uchicago.edu/
The comparison between tehom and the Babylonian figure Tiamat is a subject of scholarly discussion. Linguistic resemblance and shared ancient imagery do not, by themselves, prove that Genesis identifies the deep with a deity.
Important scholarly note: The article's biblical quotations were taken from the King James Version, while the Hebrew and Greek terms were supplied for educational study. The links above are reference resources for verifying the passages and conducting further research; they were not all consulted as sources during the original drafting.
