STUBBLE

In Biblical usage, stubble appears to refer to the remnants of grain stalks remaining in the field after the harvest. Stubble is what the Israelites had to gather when Egypt’s Pharaoh deprived them of the regular provision of straw for making bricks. (Ex. 5:10-12) Repeatedly stubble figures in illustrative settings, allusions being made to the fact that it is light and frail (Job 13:25; 41:1, 28, 29), easily blown away by the wind (Isa. 40:24; 41:2; Jer. 13:24), and burns readily and noisily. (Isa. 5:24; Joel 2:5; Obad. 18; Nah. 1:10) The wicked, the enemies of Jehovah, as well as schemes that were bound to fail, are compared to stubble. (Ex. 15:7; Ps. 83:13; Mal. 4:1; Isa. 33:11) The apostle Paul, in discussing Christian building work, listed stubble as the least valuable material, one that would not withstand the fire test.—1 Cor. 3:12, 13.