Jeremiah 49:9

9 If workers would come to you to pick grapes, they would at least leave a few on the vine. If thieves would come in the night, they would take only what they needed.

Jeremiah 49:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 49:9

If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave [some]
gleaning grapes?
&c.] If gatherers of grapes, at the time of the vintage, should come into thy fields to gather the grapes, being ripe, would not they leave some for the poor to glean? certainly they would, and not take every cluster. The Targum renders it,

``if thy spoilers, as grape gatherers, should come to thee,'' &c.

if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough;
who break into houses by night, these will eat and drink as much as is sufficient, and carry off what serves their turn; but they seldom take away everything they find in a house; they leave some things behind them; but it is suggested that the Chaldeans should take away all from the Edomites, and leave them nothing; see ( Obadiah 1:5 Obadiah 1:6 ) .

Jeremiah 49:9 In-Context

7 Concerning Edom, the LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Is wisdom no longer in Teman? Has good sense vanished from the perceptive? Are they no longer wise?

8 Turn, flee, and run for cover, you inhabitants of Dedan. I'm bringing disaster on Esau: its day of reckoning.

9 If workers would come to you to pick grapes, they would at least leave a few on the vine. If thieves would come in the night, they would take only what they needed.

10 But me? I will strip Esau bare. I will expose his hiding places, and he will find no place to take cover. His offspring, family, and acquaintances will perish, and there will be no one left to say,

11 "Leave me your orphans, and I'll look after them; trust your widows into my care."