ירמיהו, פרק נ״ב, פסוק ט״ז

In the devastating aftermath of the destruction and exile, the conquered territory was not completely abandoned. Nebuzaradan, the minister in charge of the executioners who carried out the king's orders [מצודת דוד], made a deliberate choice to leave behind some of the poorest people in the Land of Israel. Their purpose was to serve as farmers, ensuring that the land would not turn into a total wasteland [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

These remaining individuals were assigned to specific manual labor. Some were appointed to work directly in the vineyards [מצודת ציון]. Others were given tasks involving heavy agricultural work. The primary approach among commentators understands this role as general farming and digging the earth [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A related view explains that this involved preparing the fields by digging pits and irrigation trenches [מצודת ציון].

Another perspective connects this second task back to the vineyards, suggesting these workers were specifically responsible for treading the grapes and directing the flowing wine into the vats [מצודת ציון]. Alongside these agricultural explanations, the Sages offer a unique tradition. They suggest that these individuals were employed as hunters of the specific sea snail required for producing the precious blue dye [רש״י].