Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
The crowds of your foreign enemies will become like fine dust, and the hordes of ruthless warriors will be like chaff blown away by the wind. Yes, this will happen in an instant, suddenly.
God is promising that Jerusalem's enemies, no matter how numerous or fierce, will be scattered and destroyed as quickly and easily as dust in the wind.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah was prophesying during a time when Jerusalem faced threats from powerful foreign armies, particularly the Assyrians who were conquering nations throughout the region. This verse comes in the middle of Isaiah's prophecies about Jerusalem's coming judgment and ultimate deliverance. The imagery of enemies being scattered like dust and chaff would have been especially meaningful to people familiar with agricultural processes and desert winds.
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