In an overall weak (“pathetic” to be blunt) attempt to defend creatio ex nihilo from Genesis 1, Nathan Chambers is forced to admit that ברא does not necessarily denote creation ex nihilo:
While I am
unconvinced by the newer proposals for the meaning of bārā’, I also
hesitate to simply equate the verb with creation ex nihilo since in a number of
instances it is unclear what it would mean that the object in question is
created from nothing (I.e., Israel in Isa 43:1; 43:15 or the army of Babylon,
Ezek 21:35; Psalm 51:10[12] is a particularly interesting example . . . Is
creating a new heart ex nihilo?) (Nathan J. Chambers, Reconsidering Creation
Ex Nihilo in Genesis 1 [Journal of Theological Interpretation 19; University
Park, Pa..: Eisenbrauns, 2020], 227)
Blake T. Ostler, Out of Nothing: A History of Creation ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought
Daniel O. McClellan, James Patrick Holding refuted on Creation Ex Nihilo