In Jewish writings, the Genesis Rabbah states, "other worlds were created and destroyed before this present world was decided on as the permanent one", and the Zohar comments on Genesis 2:4 and connects it with the Hebrew phrase "tohu va bohu" (without form and void) found in Genesis 1:2, stating: "And these are the generations of the destruction which is signified in verse 2 of chapter 1. The earth was "Tohu" and "Bohu". These indeed are the worlds of which it is said that the blessed God created them, and destroyed them, and on that account, the earth was desolate and empty."