יָגַב

יָגַב

to dig or plow

Definition

The Hebrew verb יָגַב (yâgab) means 'to dig' or 'to plow,' specifically referring to the agricultural work of tilling the soil. In its single biblical occurrence in Jeremiah 52:16, it describes the activity of a 'husbandman' or farmer, one who works the land. While the basic sense is agricultural labor, the context in Jeremiah involves Nebuzaradan, the captain of the Babylonian guard, leaving some of the poorest people in Judah to be vinedressers and husbandmen (yōgĕbîm). This suggests the word implies not just the act of digging, but the ongoing occupation of cultivating the ground.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 52:16. It appears in a historical narrative describing the aftermath of Jerusalem's fall to Babylon. The context is agricultural and socio-economic, identifying a class of people (the 'poorest of the land') who were spared from exile to work as cultivators. The usage is straightforward and descriptive, with no extended metaphorical application found in Scripture.

Etymology

יָגַב (yâgab) is a primitive root verb in Hebrew. It is related to the noun מַגֵּבָה (maggēḇâ, H4460), meaning 'a harrow,' which is a farming implement used to break up soil. The root conveys the fundamental idea of working the earth, likely through digging or breaking up clods to prepare it for planting. Its cognates in other Semitic languages also point to agricultural labor.

Semantic Range

In ancient Israel, digging or plowing was fundamental, subsistence labor. The 'husbandman' (yōgēḇ) was a vital part of the agrarian economy, working to produce food from the land. In Jeremiah 52:16, being left as a husbandman was both a mercy (sparing one from exile or death) and a designation of low social status, as only the 'poorest' were assigned this role to maintain minimal agricultural output for the new Babylonian administration. חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš, H2790) — a broader term for plowing or engraving, often used for initial breaking of ground. עָבַד (ʿāḇaḏ, H5647) — a general term for 'to work' or 'to serve,' which can include agricultural labor but is much wider in scope.

Word Details