Jeremiah 52:16

16 But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields.

Jeremiah 52:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 52:16

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left [certain] of the
poor of the land
Of the land of Judea, who lived in the country, and had not been concerned in defending the city against the Chaldeans: for vinedressers, and for husbandmen;
to look after the vineyards and fields, and dress and manure them, that the king of Babylon might receive some advantage by the conquest he had made; (See Gill on Jeremiah 39:10).

Jeremiah 52:16 In-Context

14 And the walls round Jerusalem were broken down by the Chaldaean army which was with the captain.

15 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, took away as prisoners the rest of the people who were still in the town, and those who had given themselves up to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the workmen.

16 But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields.

17 And the brass pillars which were in the house of the Lord, and the wheeled bases and the great brass water-vessel in the house of the Lord, were broken up by the Chaldaeans, who took all the brass away to Babylon.

18 And the pots and the spades and the scissors for the lights and the spoons, and all the brass vessels used in the Lord's house, they took away.