17. Verse 2 And the earth was a void and an emptiness, and there was thick darkness over the face ¹ of the deep; and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face ¹ of the waters. The person who has yet to be regenerated is called 'a void and an empty earth', and also 'ground', in which no good or truth at all has been sown - 'void' where there is no good, and 'empty' where there is no truth. Consequently there is 'thick darkness', or stupidity and lack of knowledge about anything that has to do with faith in the Lord and so anything that has to do with spiritual and celestial life. This kind of person is described by the Lord through Jeremiah,

My people are foolish, they know Me not; they are stupid children, having no understanding; they are wise to do evil, and know not how to do good. I looked to the earth, and, behold, a void and an emptiness; and towards the heavens, and they had no light. Jeremiah 4:22-23, 25.

Footnotes:

6185. 'And he said, I will do according to your word' means that it will indeed be done, [for which the Divine has provided.] This is clear from the meaning of 'doing according to someone's word' as it will indeed be done. The reason for the addition of the phrase 'for which the Divine has provided' is that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob represented three entities which however made one. In the highest sense Abraham represented within the Lord the Divine Itself, 'Isaac' the Divine Rational, and 'Jacob' the Divine Natural, 3305 (end), 4615, 6098. But in the relative sense that applies to man they represent what is inmost, which is celestial good; what is relatively internal, which is spiritual good; and what is relatively external, which is natural good. These are what is meant by the three in one sepulchre, for 'a sepulchre' means resurrection into life and regeneration, 2916, 2917, 4621, 5551.