### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew lemma חָשַׁשׁ (châshash, `{{H2842}}`) is a rare word, explicitly defined as a variation of קַשׁ (qash, `{{H7179}}`). Its primary semantic range encompasses "dry grass" or "chaff." This dual definition is significant. "Dry grass" evokes an image of vegetation that has withered, lost its vitality, and become highly combustible. "Chaff," on the other hand, refers specifically to the light, worthless husks separated from grain during threshing. Both aspects share the common qualities of being lightweight, easily scattered, and highly susceptible to fire, representing something insubstantial and destined for consumption or dispersion. The explicit link to קַשׁ (qash, `{{H7179}}`), which also denotes stubble, straw, or chaff, reinforces this core meaning of something dry, brittle, and of little lasting value, often used metaphorically to describe the transient or the doomed.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word חָשַׁשׁ (châshash, `{{H2842}}`) appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Isaiah:
* **[[Isaiah 5:24]]**: "Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble and as dry grass (חָשַׁשׁ) sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness and their blossom go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel."
In this sole occurrence, חָשַׁשׁ (châshash) is used in a powerful simile depicting divine judgment. The prophet Isaiah is pronouncing a woe against the unrighteous leaders and people of Judah who have spurned God's law and word. The imagery is one of swift, comprehensive destruction by fire. The "dry grass" (חָשַׁשׁ) is paired with "stubble" (קַשׁ, qash, `{{H7179}}`), emphasizing their shared vulnerability to flame. Just as dry vegetation is quickly consumed, leaving nothing but dust and ash, so too will the "root" and "blossom" of the wicked be utterly destroyed. The context underscores the utter fragility and ephemerality of those who stand in opposition to the Almighty, highlighting the devastating consequences of their rebellion. The immediate consumption by fire signifies a complete and irreversible end.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most directly related word to חָשַׁשׁ (châshash, `{{H2842}}`) is קַשׁ (qash, `{{H7179}}`), from which it is considered a variant. Both terms are employed to describe dry, light, and easily combustible plant matter, often symbolizing worthlessness, transience, or material destined for destruction.
Other related terms that convey similar concepts of worthlessness, frailty, or material subject to divine judgment include:
* **מֹץ (mots, `{{H4671}}`)**: This word specifically refers to "chaff," the light husks separated from grain during winnowing. Like חָשַׁשׁ (châshash), it is used metaphorically to describe the wicked who are driven away by God's judgment (e.g., [[Psalm 1:4]], [[Job 21:18]], [[Isaiah 17:13]]).
* **תֶּבֶן (teben, `{{H8401}}`)**: "Straw," often used for fodder or brickmaking, but also combustible. While it has practical uses, it can also be consumed by fire, though perhaps less rapidly than חָשַׁשׁ.
* **חָצִיר (chatsir, `{{H2682}}`)**: "Grass" or "herb," often used to denote the transient nature of human life (e.g., [[Psalm 90:5]], [[Isaiah 40:6-7]]). While not inherently worthless, its fleeting existence parallels the impermanence of the ungodly.
The concepts associated with חָשַׁשׁ (châshash) include:
* **Frailty and Ephemerality**: The inherent nature of dry grass or chaff is its lack of substance and its brief existence, serving as a powerful metaphor for human life, especially those who do not ground themselves in God.
* **Divine Judgment**: The word is embedded in a context of God's righteous wrath and the swift, consuming nature of His justice against sin.
* **Worthlessness of Rebellion**: Just as dry grass is useless for building or sustenance and only fit for burning, so too is rebellion against God ultimately empty and self-destructive.
### Theological Significance
The singular appearance of חָשַׁשׁ (châshash, `{{H2842}}`) in [[Isaiah 5:24]] imbues it with profound theological significance, primarily in the realm of divine judgment and the nature of humanity in relation to God.
1. **Immediacy and Thoroughness of Judgment**: The imagery of "dry grass" being instantly consumed by fire powerfully conveys the speed and completeness of God's judgment. There is no lingering, no partial destruction; the wicked are utterly consumed, leaving no trace. This highlights God's absolute power and His unwavering commitment to justice.
2. **The Insubstantiality of Sin and Rebellion**: By likening the unrighteous to "dry grass," the text emphasizes their spiritual emptiness and lack of true substance when divorced from God. Their efforts, their power, and their very existence become as fleeting and worthless as dry vegetation before a consuming fire. This contrasts sharply with the enduring nature of God and His eternal word.
3. **The Sovereignty of God Over Creation and Humanity**: God, who creates and sustains all things, also has the power to bring them to nothing. The ease with which dry grass is consumed by fire underscores God's effortless dominion over those who defy Him. Their fate is entirely in His hands, and their rebellion is no match for His righteous indignation.
4. **A Warning and a Call to Repentance**: While a depiction of judgment, the imagery also serves as a stark warning. The fate of the "dry grass" awaits those who "rejected the law of the LORD of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." It implicitly calls for a turning away from sin and a turning towards the enduring truth of God's word, lest one's life prove to be as ephemeral and combustible as חָשַׁשׁ.
### Summary
The Hebrew word חָשַׁשׁ (châshash, `{{H2842}}`), meaning "dry grass" or "chaff," is a rare but potent term in the biblical lexicon, serving as a variant of קַשׁ (qash, `{{H7179}}`). Its singular appearance in [[Isaiah 5:24]] is profoundly illustrative, where it is used in a vivid simile to describe the swift and utter destruction awaiting those who reject God's law and despise His word. Like dry vegetation consumed by fire, the unrighteous are depicted as insubstantial and destined for complete annihilation under divine judgment. Theologically, חָשַׁשׁ (châshash) underscores the immediacy and thoroughness of God's justice, the utter worthlessness and transience of human rebellion, and the absolute sovereignty of the Lord over all creation. It stands as a solemn reminder of the consequences of forsaking the Holy One of Israel.
TRV