Word study on chaff in the Old and New Testaments

by Matt Slick | Oct 11, 2018 | Annihilationism, Minor Groups & Issues

Chaff is the leftover husks that are separated from the useful grains by the process of threshing and winnowing. When the grain was harvested, people would throw the grain into the air and the wind will blow away the lighter chaff and the grain would fall to the ground, thus separating that which is useful from that which is not. The imagery of the chaff being discarded and sometimes burned has been used by the biblical writers to describe what will happen to the wicked (Matthew 3:12; 13:30, 40-42; Luke 3:17; John 15:6). There are two possible meanings of the words “chaff, stubble, dry grass” in the various contexts of the Bible. It can mean…

Literal destruction with the result of nonexistence
Figurative usage to represent the destruction of the wicked

There are four words used in the Hebrew Old Testament that are translated into the English chaff.

“מֹץ [mots, mowts /motes/] n m. From 4160; TWOT 1162a; GK 5161; Eight occurrences; AV translates as “chaff” eight times. 1 chaff. 1A always as driven by wind.”¹Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995. The word is used 8 times in the Old Testament: Job 21:18; Psalm 1:4; 35:5; Isaiah 17:13; 29:5; 41:15; Hosea 13:3; Zeph. 2:2.
“חֲשַׁשׁ [chashash /khaw·shash/] n m. By variation for 7179; TWOT 775a; GK 3143; Two occurrences; AV translates as “chaff” twice. 1 chaff, dry grass.”²ibid. The word is used two times in the Old Testament: Isaiah 5:24; 33:11
“קַשׁ [qash /kash/] n m. From 7197; TWOT 2091a; GK 7990; 16 occurrences; AV translates as “stubble” 16 times. 1 stubble, chaff.”³ibid. The word is used 16 times in the Old Testament: Exodus 5:12; 15:7; Job 13:25; 41:28, 29; Psalm 83:13; Isaiah 5:24; 33:11; 40:24; 41:2; 47:14; Jeremiah 13:24; Joel 2:5; Obadiah 18; Nahum 1:10; Malachi 4:1.
“עוּר [ʿuwr /oor/] n m. Chaff (as the naked husk); TWOT 2904; GK 10534; AV translates as “chaff” once. 1 chaff.”⁴ibid.. The word occurs once in the Old Testament: Daniel 2:35

There is only one word used in the Greek New Testament that is translated into the English chaff.

“ἄχυρον [achuron /akh·oo·ron/] n n. Perhaps remotely from cheo (to shed forth); GK 949; Two occurrences; AV translates as “chaff” twice. 1 a stalk of grain from which the kernels have been beaten out. 2 straw broken up by a threshing machine, chaff.”⁵ibid. The word occurs two times in the New Testament: Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17

The following tables are all of the verses used in the Bible (both O.T. and N.T.) for chaff, stubble, and dry grass. I designated them into two categories: “literal nonexistence” and “figurative usage.” In several instances, I placed verses in both categories because the verses can be used to support either interpretation of literal nonexistence or figurative usage in regard to the topic under discussion. I leave the information to you to decide if my categorizations are fair.

One thing is for sure, the usage of chaff being burned up is a declaration of judgment. The imagery of being consumed by fire can be used by conditionalists to support their position since chaff is consumed and does not exist anymore. I think this is one of the stronger evidence for their position. However, we have to be careful not to take a figurative usage and derive out of it a literal meaning. In reference to people, though the analogy of the destruction of chaff in our physical world means it doesn’t exist anymore, does it also mean that in the spiritual world that the soul also ceases to exist? This is, of course, the question under debate

Summary of usage of verses for both Hebrew and Greek

People:
- The wicked are like chaff that the wind carries away (Job 21:18; Psalm 1:4; 35:5; 83:13; Isaiah 40:24; 41:2; Jer. 13:24; Hosea 13:3, etc.),
- God’s anger consumes the wicked as chaff (Ex. 5:7)
- They are like stubble. Fire burns them (Isaiah 47:14)
- Evildoers will be like chaff, set ablaze, leaving neither root or branch (Mal. 4:1)
But, chaff is also used in comparison to
- hills (Isaiah 41:15),
- days (Zeph. 2:2),
- conceiving chaff (Isaiah 33:11),
- iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold (Dan. 2:35).
The figurative usage of chaff is
- compared to people’s physical death (Isaiah 5:24-25)
- compared to people arranged for battle (Joel 2:5)
- destruction of Esau’s house (Obad. 18)
- people being completely withered (Nah. 1:10)
Literal chaff is mentioned
- in reference to the Jews in Egypt who gathered stubble (Ex. 5:12)
- in Pursuing dry chaff (Job 13:25)
- Slingstone turned into stubble (Job 41:28-29)
- Fire consumes stubble (Isaiah 5:24)

Conclusion

The biblical treatment of chaff is both literal and figurative. There are instances where the destruction of the chaff means that it no longer exists (Exodus 15:7; Isaiah 5:24; 47:14; Joel 2:5; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17). There are instances where the destruction of the chaff means that it is figurative and the existence continues or is not specified (Exodus 5:12; Job 21:18; Psalm 35:5; Isaiah 41:15; Jer. 13:24; Joel 2:5; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17). What then is meant when it is in reference to people? It depends on the context. But, worth noting is that the New Testament also uses the figure of chaff in relation to people and it relates their punishment with unquenchable fire.

Though I believe this is the strongest argument annihilationists have for their position, I do not believe it is conclusive due to other verses throughout the Bible that do not lend themselves as such interpretations. See the following articles that strongly support continued punishment after death.

Table 1 Chaff מֹץ [mots, mowts /motes/] 8 Occurrences
Job 21:18	“Are they as straw before the wind, and like chaff which the storm carries away?”	Figurative Usage
Psalm 1:4	“The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away.”	Figurative Usage
Psalm 35:5	“Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them on.”	Figurative Usage
Isaiah 17:13	“The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters. But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind, or like whirling dust before a gale.”	Figurative Usage
Isaiah 29:5	“But the multitude of your enemies will become like fine dust, and the multitude of the ruthless ones like the chaff which blows away; And it will happen instantly, suddenly.”	Figurative Usage
Isaiah 41:15	“Behold, I have made you a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; You will thresh the mountains and pulverize them, And will make the hills like chaff.”	Figurative Usage
Hosea 13:3	“Therefore they will be like the morning cloud and like dew which soon disappears, Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor and like smoke from a chimney.”	Figurative Usage
Zeph. 2:2	“Before the decree takes effect— The day passes like the chaff— Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you.”	Figurative Usage

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Table 2 Chaff חֲשַׁשׁ [chashash /khaw·shash/] 2 Occurrences
Isaiah 5:24	“Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble and dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”	Literal Nonexistence	Figurative Usage
Isaiah 33:11	“You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble; My breath will consume you like a fire.”		Figurative Usage

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Table 3 Chaff קַשׁ [qash /kash/] 16 Occurrences
Exodus 5:12	“So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.”		Figurative Usage
Exodus 15:7	“And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.	Literal Nonexistence	Figurative Usage
Job 13:25	“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble? Or will You pursue the dry chaff?		Figurative Usage
Job 41:28	“The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones are turned into stubble for him.		Figurative Usage
Job 41:29	“Clubs are regarded as stubble; He laughs at the rattling of the javelin.		Figurative Usage
Psalm 83:13	“O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.”		Figurative Usage
Isaiah 5:24	“Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble and dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”	Literal Nonexistence
Isaiah 33:11	“You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble; My breath will consume you like a fire.”		Figurative Usage
Isaiah 40:24	“Scarcely have they been planted. Scarcely have they been sown. Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth. But He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the storm carries them away like stubble.”		Figurative Usage
Isaiah 41:2	“Who has aroused one from the east Whom He calls in righteousness to His feet? He delivers up nations before him And subdues kings. He makes them like dust with his sword, As the wind-driven chaff with his bow.”		Figurative Usage
Isaiah 47:14	“Behold, they have become like stubble. Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by nor a fire to sit before!”	Literal Nonexistence
Jer. 13:24	“Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw to the desert wind.”		Figurative Usage
Joel 2:5	“With a noise as of chariots They leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle.”	Literal Nonexistence
Obad. 18	“Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame, But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau,” For the LORD has spoken.”		Figurative Usage
Nahum 1:10	“Like tangled thorns, And like those who are drunken with their drink, They are consumed as stubble completely withered.”		Figurative Usage
Mal. 4:1	“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”	Literal Nonexistence	Figurative Usage

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Table 4 Chaff עוּר [ʿuwr /oor/] 1 Occurrences
Daniel 2:35	“Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”	Literal Nonexistence	Figurative Usage

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Tabel 5 Chaff ἄχυρον [achuron /akh·oo·ron/] 2 Occurrences
Matthew 3:12	“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”	Literal Nonexistence	Figurative Usage
Luke 3:17	“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”	Literal Nonexistence	Figurative Usage