There are other places in the Hebrew scripture where that same word translated "nothing" is used in the same way, and the usual understanding I'm aware of is not "nothing" in the sense you seem to be using it but in the sense of "no other gods" and I think the context bears out that reading. "I am the LORD thy God and thou shalt have no other gods before Me" [Ex 20:3] is the idea. That theme occurs through out the Old Testament.
Deut 4:35-39 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.
And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;
To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
"There is none else" implies "There are no other gods."
ABE: And this makes particular sense in the context of the Bible where God has chosen Himself a people among many peoples who all have their own gods. His miracles were all done to prove that He isn't just another "god" but THE God, the Creator God. There is testimony given by foreigners in the scripture too, to the effect that they recognized that the God of Israel is THE God and not a god lilke all the other nations had.
Also, God wouldn't promote such a message as you are claiming, which can only confuse people. He speaks to ordinary minds, but the idea of "nothing" is beyond our ordinary minds. /ABE
Edited by Faith, : No reason given.
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