Here is a little description about the mandrakes we read about...
In the Old Testament
In Genesis 30, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah finds mandrakes in a field. Rachel, Jacob's infertile second wife and Leah's sister, is desirous of the mandrakes and barters with Leah for them. The trade offered by Rachel is for Leah to spend the next night in Jacob's bed in exchange for Leah's mandrakes. Leah gives away the plant to her barren sister, but soon after this (Genesis 30:14-22), Leah, who had previously had four sons but had been infertile for a long while, became pregnant once more and in time gave birth to two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah. Only years after this episode of her asking for the mandrakes did Rachel manage to get pregnant. There are classical Jewish commentaries which suggest that mandrakes help barren women to conceive a child.[citation needed] Although she ate the mandrakes, it states in the Old Testament that Jehovah brought it about that Rachel should have a child.
Mandrake in Hebrew is דודאים (dûdã'im), meaning “love plant”. Among certain Asian cultures, it is believed to ensure conception.[citation needed] Most interpreters[who?] hold Mandragora officinarum to be the plant intended in Genesis 30:14 ("love plant") and Song of Songs 7:13 ("the mandrakes send out their fragrance"). A number of other plants have been suggested such as blackberries, Zizyphus Lotus, the sidr of the Arabs, the banana, lily, citron, and fig.
Rachel and Leah were trying to help God, just like Sarah did....they pulled in their cultural practices (a substitute wife) to assist.......do you think this happens today? As a side note, there is a book called "The Red Tent"...it is totally fictional, but talks about this story from Jacob's wives' perspective.
God then sets things up for Jacob to leave Laban.....remember that Jacob is developing in his faith during all these years. Jacob's wives agree that it is time to go; they realize that their Dad literally sold them and they aren't going to get any inheritance through him, because Jacob had earned rights through his hard work and Laban wouldn't even give Jacob what he owed him. Rachel packs Laban's idols....remember that Laban worships many gods, and Rachel may have assumed that the idols would tell Laban where they went (says a little bit about her faith, doesn't it?).....Laban catches up with the group after they had a 3 day head start and demands his idols. Jacob is appalled and says that Laban can search and if he finds anything, the person responsible will be killed. This puts a bit of pressure on Rachel, death threats and all, and we find she can be just as crafty as the rest.....Leviticus says that Youth shall rise in the presence of elders as a sign of respect (Lev 19: 3,32), but she claims she is having her period (way to make a man retreat) and hides the idols.
Jacob and Laban make a covenant which results in boundries for their land and Laban at last, goes home.
God is working in the midst of dysfunctional families, deceit, selfishness, competition, jealousy and existing culture!!!!! Do you think that applies today?
I just can't believe all these women.....sharing husbands, giving husband your maid to have child, wanting to have HOW MANY children? different times........
ReplyDeleteJacob seems to be a sneaky, but smart one.....he deceives people to get his way.....and he knows how to do it......I hope he ends up following the full word of God....