### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **yâgab**, represented by `{{H3009}}`, is a primitive root meaning to dig or plow, and is used to signify a **husbandman**. It is a rare term, appearing only **2 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible. Its usage is highly specific, referring to those who work the soil in an agricultural capacity.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical appearances, `{{H3009}}` is found in nearly identical accounts of the Babylonian conquest of Judah. In both 2 Kings and Jeremiah, after the exile of Jerusalem's elite, the captain of the guard intentionally left behind some of the poorest people of the land. These individuals were appointed to be vinedressers and **husbandmen** to tend to the vacant land ([[2 Kings 25:12]], [[Jeremiah 52:16]]). This role was essential for the land's basic maintenance in the wake of national devastation.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the context surrounding `{{H3009}}`:
* `{{H3755}}` **kôrêm** (a vinedresser): This word is used in direct parallel with **husbandmen** in both occurrences, indicating a complementary agricultural role responsible for vineyards [[Jeremiah 52:16]].
* `{{H1803}}` **dallâh** (poor[-est sort]): This term identifies the specific group of people who were assigned the role of husbandmen. They were the remnant of the **poor** who were not carried away into captivity [[2 Kings 25:12]].
* `{{H7604}}` **shâʼar** (leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest): This verb is crucial as it describes the action of the Babylonian captain, who purposefully **left** a remnant in the land to serve as cultivators [[2 Kings 25:12]].
* `{{H1461}}` **gûwb** (husbandman): Defined as to dig, this word appears alongside `{{H3009}}` in [[2 Kings 25:12]], reinforcing the meaning of a laborer who works the earth.
### Theological Significance
The specific usage of `{{H3009}}` carries distinct thematic weight within its context:
* **The Overlooked Remnant:** The word is exclusively tied to the remnant of the poor `{{H1803}}` who were **left** `{{H7604}}` behind. While the powerful and skilled were exiled, the humble were given the foundational task of working the land, highlighting a theme of survival and continuity through the overlooked.
* **Stewardship in Judgment:** The appointment of **husbandmen** shows that even during a time of immense judgment, the land `{{H776}}` itself was not to be utterly abandoned. The conquerors made a provision for its basic cultivation.
* **A Non-Military Role:** In the context of the fall of a nation, the role of a **husbandman** stands in stark contrast to that of soldiers and princes. It represents a shift from national defense to basic subsistence and a return to the soil.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3009}}` provides a focused look at a specific role during a pivotal moment in Israel's history. Far from a general term for a farmer, **yâgab** precisely identifies the poor of the land who were left behind by the Babylonians to work the fields. Its two appearances in [[2 Kings 25:12]] and [[Jeremiah 52:16]] encapsulate a story of a remnant, the stewardship of the land amidst ruin, and the humble beginnings of life after exile.
TRV