Winnowing
“Zarah, to scatter, disperse, or winnow; also mizreh, the winnowing fork”
Summary
Winnowing was the agricultural process of separating grain from chaff by tossing threshed material into the wind, serving in Scripture as a powerful image of divine judgment separating the righteous from the wicked.
☩The Process
After grain was threshed by treading or by threshing sledges, it was winnowed to separate the kernels from the chaff and straw. This was done on open threshing floors, usually on hilltops where evening breezes were strongest. Workers used wooden shovels or forks to toss the grain into the air, allowing the wind to carry away the lighter chaff while the heavier grain fell back to the floor. The work was typically done in late afternoon when winds were favorable.
☩Figurative Usage
Winnowing became a powerful metaphor for divine judgment separating good from evil. John the Baptist proclaimed that the Coming One would have His winnowing fork in hand, gathering wheat into His barn while burning the chaff with unquenchable fire. The wicked are compared to chaff that the wind drives away, unable to stand in the judgment. God is described as winnowing the nations and scattering them as with an east wind.
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Winnowing," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. V (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.Chad Brand, Charles Draper, and Archie England (ed.), "Winnowing," in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Holman Bible Publishers, 2003).