chaff

The covering of the grain removed during the process of winnowing. Nearly all references in the Hebrew Bible are to chaff blown in the wind (Job 13:25; Job 21:18; Ps 1:4; Ps 35:5; Ps 83:13; Isa 17:13; Isa 29:5; Isa 33:11; Isa 41:15; Jer 13:24; Dan 2:35; Hos 13:3; Zeph 2:2). In the NT it is what is burned as worthless “with unquenchable fire” after the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit has gathered the wheat into the granary (Matt 3:12; Luke 3:17).