Psalm 35:5
5 Let them be as chaff [mots] before [paniym] the wind [ruwach]: and let the angel [mal'ak]
of the LORD [Y@hovah] chase [dachah] them. KJV-Interlinear
5
Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them
away! ESV
Chaff is the empty and
light portion of the grain stock, which is blown away by the wind or a gentle
breeze, when the grain is tossed up into the air and the chaff is separated
from it by the wind, and blown away. The
grain is the good part and drops to the ground for collection and later use.
The chaff drifts away and
is forever gone, lost, and ends up in the obscurity of the world. It cannot be identified or distinguished from
the dust or any other particle of the earth.
Thus chaff is identified
with the empty, the light, the useless, the worthless, the vain or vanity of
the world.
The chaff of humanity includes
all unbelievers who have no spiritual life, as well as all believers who
disregard their spiritual obligations.
To chase them, is a
military term, wherein when the enemy is in full retreat then you continue the
pursuit until they are all killed or captured or otherwise removed the picture of
life. And this is what God does and will have completed when history comes to
its conclusion.
