That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The original Hebrew word for "carries away" carries a sense of stealing or snatching something away suddenly, highlighting the unexpected and swift destruction that can befall the wicked, much like a thief making off with stolen goods before anyone is aware. This detail emphasizes that their downfall isn't always a drawn-out process but can be shockingly abrupt.
That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is responding to his friends' assertion that all suffering is divine punishment for sin, meaning the wicked are always destroyed. He argues that this isn't true, pointing out that the wicked often prosper, and then uses vivid imagery to describe how their ultimate destruction will be swift and complete when it does come. He's emphasizing that while judgment may seem delayed, it is sure, and their seemingly prosperous lives are as insubstantial as straw and chaff.
What happens to those who seem to prosper despite their wickedness? Job uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of their ultimate, inescapable end.
Job's friends insisted that God's justice meant the wicked would suffer immediate and obvious ruin in this life. Job, however, has been arguing that this isn't always the case – the wicked often seem to flourish.
In this verse, Job concedes that sometimes the wicked do face swift destruction, but he frames it as a question, highlighting that it's not the only or guaranteed outcome in their lifetime. When judgment does come, it's like:
This imagery emphasizes the speed, certainty, and helplessness of their final demise, even if it's delayed. It's not a matter of if, but when and how utterly they will be swept away.
Does God truly judge everyone, even when earthly circumstances seem unfair? Job points to a final reckoning that transcends worldly prosperity.
Job's extended argument in chapter 21 grapples with a profound problem: why do the wicked often prosper while the righteous suffer? His friends offer a simple, unwavering answer: God punishes the wicked swiftly and surely in this life.
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Job pushes back, suggesting this isn't the full picture. But here, he doesn't deny God's ultimate justice. Instead, he uses the imagery of stubble and chaff to emphasize the nature of the wicked's end when it does come. It’s an end characterized by:
This perspective reminds us that earthly fortunes are not the final word. God's judgment is real, and it will be absolute, regardless of a person's temporary success.
Understand the original words
mōṣ · Hebrew Noun
The husk of grain. Biblically, it is frequently used as a metaphor for the worthless, unstable, and fleeting nature of the lives of the wicked when exposed to the judgment of God.
The imagery of stubble and chaff blown away by the wind powerfully conveys the utter and swift destruction that Job's friends believed was the certain fate of the wicked. However, Job uses these familiar metaphors to question whether this is always the case, highlighting the often-unpredictable nature of divine justice in this life, especially in contrast to the catastrophic Babylonian exile which would have been fresh in the minds of his audience.
c. 1400 BC - 400 BC
Period of the Patriarchs and Judges
This era represents the early history of Israel, marked by tribal leadership, periods of oppression, and the establishment of a covenant relationship with God, laying the foundation for later historical developments.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy of Israel
Under King David and Solomon, Israel experienced a period of unified rule, territorial expansion, and relative peace, establishing Jerusalem as its capital and building the First Temple.
c. 930 BC
Divided Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom split into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, leading to political instability and frequent conflicts.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Crisis
The powerful Assyrian Empire began its expansion, threatening the existence of both Israel and Judah, leading to shifting alliances, tribute payments, and eventual invasions.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem and deported a portion of the Judean elite, including Daniel, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar returned, destroying Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, and exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon, a devastating event for the Judean people.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus Cylinder and Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon and issued a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples, initiating the return from Babylonian exile.
This passage directly echoes the imagery of chaff blown away by the wind, vividly illustrating the swift and certain destruction awaiting the wicked.
Isaiah 17:13Here, the imagery of nations being like chaff before the wind is used to describe their sudden and complete scattering during times of divine judgment.
Matthew 3:12This verse from the New Testament uses the same imagery of winnowing and burning chaff, directly linking it to the final judgment of the unrighteous.
Job 13:25Job himself uses similar language to describe how he feels persecuted and hounded, comparing himself to withered leaves or stubble that is easily tossed about.
barnesJob 21:18: "They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away."
They are as stubble before the wind - According to the interpretation proposed of the previous verse, this may be read as a question, "How often is it that the wicked are made like stubble? You say that God deals with people exactly according to their characters, and that the wicked are certainly subjected to calamities; but how often does this, in fact, occur? Is it a uniform law? Do they not, in fact,…
bensonJob 21:18: "They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away."
Job 21:18 . They are as stubble before the wind, &c. — That is, their destruction shall be speedy, certain, and irrecoverable. Thus he goes on to concede to his adversaries, “that wicked men are sometimes thus severely punished, as they in their speeches had been fond of representing; but then he had before shown, that they were sometimes as remarkably prosperous; and this made way for a third particula…
The original Hebrew word for "carries away" carries a sense of stealing or snatching something away suddenly, highlighting the unexpected and swift destruction that can befall the wicked, much like a thief making off with stolen goods before anyone is aware. This detail emphasizes that their downfall isn't always a drawn-out process but can be shockingly abrupt.
Job is responding to his friends' assertion that all suffering is divine punishment for sin, meaning the wicked are always destroyed. He argues that this isn't true, pointing out that the wicked often prosper, and then uses vivid imagery to describe how their ultimate destruction will be swift and complete when it does come. He's emphasizing that while judgment may seem delayed, it is sure, and their seemingly prosperous lives are as insubstantial as straw and chaff.
Job is responding to his friends' assertion that all suffering is divine punishment for sin, meaning the wicked are always destroyed. He argues that this isn't true, pointing out that the wicked often prosper, and then uses vivid imagery to describe how their ultimate destruction will be swift and complete when it does come. He's emphasizing that while judgment may seem delayed, it is sure, and their seemingly prosperous lives are as insubstantial as straw and chaff.
"That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?" — The original Hebrew word for "carries away" carries a sense of stealing or snatching something away suddenly, highlighting the unexpected and swift destruction that can befall the wicked, much like…
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Last reviewed October 2026