Lexical Summary chashash: To be afraid, to fear, to be anxious Original Word: חָשַׁשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chaff By variation for qash; dry grass -- chaff. see HEBREW qash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition chaff NASB Translation chaff (1), dry grass (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲשַׁשׁ noun masculine Isaiah 59:24 chaff; — absolute תֵלְדוּ ׳תַּהֲרוּ ח קַשׁ Isaiah 33:11 ye conceive chaff, ye bring forth stubble (figurative of vain attempt of Assyr.); construct לֶהָבָה ׳ח יִרְמֶּה Isaiah 5:24 ("" קַשׁ) as flaming chaff sinketh down (simile of perishing of heedless Judahites). חֻשָׁתִי see חושׁ. חַת, חִתָּה see חתת. Topical Lexicon Definition and Imagery חָשַׁשׁ (hashash) evokes the picture of brittle, sun-scorched straw or chaff—material so light and dry that the smallest spark ignites it and the weakest breeze scatters it. The term therefore stands as an emblem of what is transient, combustible, and ultimately worthless when exposed to judgment. Occurrences and Context Isaiah employs חָשַׁשׁ twice to portray the fate of the rebellious: • Isaiah 5:24 – “As a tongue of fire consumes the straw and as dry grass sinks into the flames, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust”. In Isaiah 5, חָשַׁשׁ stands parallel to “dry grass,” intensifying the image of utter destruction that follows covenant infidelity. In Isaiah 33, it forms part of a taunt song against those who trust in their own counsel rather than in the Lord; their schemes prove as insubstantial as chaff and ignite under their own breath. Theological Significance 1. Ephemerality of Human Pride. By likening human plans and defenses to straw, Scripture underscores the vast difference between fallen human strength and divine holiness (Isaiah 2:22; Psalm 103:15-16). Prophetic and Pastoral Applications • Warning to Nations and Individuals. Isaiah’s contemporaries relied on political alliances and ritual formalism. Ministries today draw on חָשַׁשׁ to expose the folly of any security apart from the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5). Connection to New Testament Themes John the Baptist’s declaration, “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12), echoes Isaiah’s use of חָשַׁשׁ. Both Testaments present a unified message: the Messiah separates the enduring grain from the perishable husk. Likewise, Hebrews 12:27 affirms that God will shake all created things “so that the unshakable may remain.” Practical Ministry Insights • Preaching: Use חָשַׁשׁ to illustrate the brevity of life and the urgency of repentance (James 4:14). By meditating on חָשַׁשׁ, the church gains a vivid reminder that only what is rooted in the Lord endures; everything else is straw before the flame. Forms and Transliterations וַחֲשַׁ֤שׁ וחשש חֲשַׁ֖שׁ חשש chaShash ḥă·šaš ḥăšaš vachaShash wa·ḥă·šaš waḥăšašLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 5:24 HEB: לְשׁ֣וֹן אֵ֗שׁ וַחֲשַׁ֤שׁ לֶֽהָבָה֙ יִרְפֶּ֔ה NAS: stubble And dry grass collapses KJV: consumeth the chaff, [so] their root INT: A tongue of fire and dry the flame collapses Isaiah 33:11 2 Occurrences |
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