מוֹץ (mots)
mots
chaff
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mots refers to the light, dry husks separated from grain during threshing. In the ancient agricultural process, this waste material was not discarded on the ground but collected and thrown into the air so that the wind could blow it away, leaving the heavy kernels behind. The lexicon sources emphasize that this word always carries the image of being driven by the wind, highlighting its complete lack of substance or stability.
Scripture uses mots as a powerful metaphor for those who reject God’s guidance. Because chaff has no root and cannot be controlled, it represents instability and worthlessness. This imagery appears prominently in Psalms 1:4, where the wicked are described as chaff driven by the wind, contrasting sharply with the rooted tree of the righteous. The prophet Zephaniah also employs this term to depict the sudden and total removal of unfaithful people (Zephaniah 2:2).
Translators typically render mots simply as "chaff," but the Hebrew context adds a layer of divine agency. The wind that scatters the chaff is often understood as God’s judgment or purification. Unlike straw, which might be used for binding, chaff serves no purpose other than to be removed. This distinction underscores the finality of the separation between what endures and what passes away.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word mots describes the light, dry husks separated from grain during threshing. These fragments have no root and no stability; they are entirely at the mercy of the wind. In Scripture, this image is used to contrast those who trust in God with those who reject His guidance. The righteous are like trees planted by water, grounded and enduring, while the wicked are like chaff, easily scattered and without substance.
This metaphor offers comfort rather than fear. It reminds us that our security does not come from our own strength or status, but from being rooted in God’s word. When life feels chaotic, we can rest in the knowledge that God is the one who separates what is lasting from what is temporary. He preserves what is valuable and clears away what has no eternal worth.
Reflecting on this imagery helps us focus on what truly endures. Instead of worrying about fleeting opinions or temporary setbacks, we can invest our lives in faithfulness and love. God’s judgment is not arbitrary; it is a purification that leaves only what can stand before Him. This promise encourages us to build our lives on solid ground.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like/ chaff3×
- and/ like/ chaff2×
- like/ chaff of1×
- like <the>/ chaff1×
- [they are] like the/ chaff1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כַּ֝/מֹּ֗ץ1×
- כַּ/מֹּ֥ץ1×
- כְּ/מֹץ֙1×
- כְּ/מֹ֥ץ1×
- כְּ/מֹ֤ץ1×
- כְּ/מֹ֖ץ1×
- וּ֝/כְ/מֹ֗ץ1×
- וּ/כְ/מֹ֤ץ1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 1:4
The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
This verse establishes the core contrast by describing the wicked as chaff driven away, highlighting their lack of stability compared to the righteous.
-
Psalms 35:5
Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh’s angel driving them on.
Here the text specifies that Yahweh’s angel is the one driving the chaff, emphasizing divine agency in the separation process.
-
Isaiah 17:13
The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far off, and will be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm.
The prophet uses the image of mountains’ chaff to show how quickly powerful nations can be scattered by God’s rebuke.