TonyChanYT
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Gen 30:
Wiki:
Ellicott:
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges:
Barnes' Notes on the Bible:
Rachel desperately wanted the mandrakes because she was barren. She was hoping that the mandrakes would do the trick. Leah made a deal with her:
What happened to Rachel? Did the trick work?
14In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
Wiki:
Because mandrakes contain deliriant hallucinogenic tropane alkaloids and the shape of their roots often resembles human figures, they have been associated with magic rituals throughout history, including present-day contemporary pagan traditions such as Wicca and Odinism.[2]
Ellicott:
Mandrakes.—Heb., love-apples.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges:
The mandrake is called by the native inhabitants of Palestine baid el-jinn, “the eggs of the jinn.”
Barnes' Notes on the Bible:
"Mandrakes" - the fruit of the "mandragora vernaIis," which is to this day supposed to promote fruitfulness of the womb. Rachel therefore desires to partake of them.
Rachel desperately wanted the mandrakes because she was barren. She was hoping that the mandrakes would do the trick. Leah made a deal with her:
Leah got pregnant again with or without the mandrake.15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
What happened to Rachel? Did the trick work?
She did get pregnant eventually, but probably not due to the mandrake.22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”