Mandrakes Are The Biblical Love Plant
0:0
Once, at the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben came upon some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, Please give me some of your sons mandrakes. Genesis 30:14
The conflict between the sister-brides Rachel and Leah takes a strange twist when Reuben finds some mandrakes, in Hebrew dudaim , while harvesting wheat and brings them to his mother, Leah, after God had sealed her womb. Rachel, who is childless, desires the mandrakes and grants Leah the right to sleep with Jacob in exchange for them.
Mandrakes are purported to be an aphrodisiac, and the tale of the mandrakes precedes a particularly fecund period for Jacobs family. Ironically, it is Leah, and not Rachel, the recipient of the mandrakes, who is impregnated and gives birth to a fifth son, Issachar, her sixth son, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah. The mandrakes may have helped Rachel as well, as the Bible then relates that she conceived for the first time, giving birth to Joseph.
It should be emphasized, however, that the Bible explicitly states that Rachels infertility was not cured by the mandrakes, but rather as an act of God :
Now Hashem remembered Rachel Hashem heeded her and opened her womb.
The Bible reaffirms the romantic nature of mandrakes in Song of Songs 7:14:
The mandrakes yield their fragrance, at our doors are all choice fruits Both freshly picked and long-stored have I kept, my beloved, for you.
What Are Mandrakes Used For Today
Today, mandrakes are used for medicinal purposes.
The main purpose of using mandrakes medicinally is to treat pain and other symptoms of disease. The plant has been used to treat diarrhea and the common cold, as well as pain in the joints and muscles. In addition, mandrake root can be applied directly to skin wounds or sores that have become infected by bacteria or viruses .
Some people use the roots for alternative medicine purposes such as treating cancer and arthritis. They also believe that mandrake can improve their ability to sleep at night by making them feel relaxed or drowsy throughout the day however this claim is not supported by scientific evidence linking these two effects together scientifically either way yet!
What Were Mandrakes In The Bible
Mandrakes are a flowering plant in the nightshade family. The name mandrake comes from the Greek, meaning love apple. They are thought to have been used as an aphrodisiac or medicinal herb in ancient times and have been associated with witchcraft since that time. Mandrakes have long been associated with death and rebirth, due to their resemblance to human bodies when they flower. They were also thought to be able to produce offspring through planting their seeds next to dead peoples graves!
When it comes down to it though, mandrakes are just pretty plants that look like humans when they bloom during springtime. Theyre easy enough for beginners who want gardening projects that dont require much maintenance just plant them outdoors and wait until they start blooming before you pick themtheyll leave behind holes where the roots once were so you know where not dig up any more roots!
Recommended Reading: What Does The Bible Say About Reincarnation
Do Mandrakes Increase Fertility
In all the medieval herbals the mandrakes were always drawn with heads, then the bodies would be the roots with the legs crossed. The plant grows in arid areas around the Mediterranean and Middle East where it has been used as a hallucinogen, painkiller, aphrodisiac and fertility drug for thousands of years.
Does mandrake grow in the US? HabitatThe American Mandrake is a small herb with a long, perennial, creeping rhizome, a native of many parts of North America, common in the eastern United States and Canada, growing there profusely in wet meadows and in damp, open woods.
Simply so, What does mandrake taste like? Captain John Smith of the Virginia Colony wrote of it as a pleasant wholesome fruit much like a lemond in 1612 and seven years later Samuel Champlain, introduced to mandrake by the Hurons, said it tasted like a fig.
Do mandrakes still exist? Mandrake plants arent widely used today, although herbal mandrake is still used in folk medicine and is studied by people who are interested in the occult or modern witchcraft. Mandrake is a mysterious plant with a long, thick taproot that resembles the human body.
Where Does The Bible Mention Mandrakes
The Song of Solomon is a beautiful, poetic book of the Old Testament, on one level an allegory of Gods love for His bride, the church. In Song of Solomon 7:13, the groom calls to his bride and invites her into romance, and she returns his invitation. She responds, The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and beside our doors are all choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved . Her reference alludes to the aphrodisiac qualities of the flowering mandrake plants. The flowers are purple and reportedly give off a strong scent reminiscent of red apple. The language of Song of Solomon is ripe with references to the natural world and is wonderful to read and study.
In Genesis 30, mandrakes become a bargaining tool between barren Rachel and her fertile sister, Leah, women who will become mothers to the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob initially fell in love with Rachel and worked for her father Laban for seven years for her hand. On their wedding day, Laban tricked Jacob by placing Leah in her younger sisters place in the marriage ceremony. He then let Jacob marry Rachel for another seven years of labor. Perhaps knowing poor Leah was unloved, God granted her the privilege of bearing children first. Leah was producing children for their shared husband, Jacob, while Rachel only had children through her handmaid, Bilhah. Once Leah experienced a lapse in pregnancies, she had more through her handmaid, Zilpah.
Don’t Miss: What The Bible Says About Being Calm
What Are The Mandrakes Mentioned In The Bible
In Song of Solomon 7:13 we read, The mandrakes send out their fragrance, / and at our door is every delicacy, / both new and old, / that I have stored up for you, my beloved. A mandrake is a short-stemmed, flowering plant in the nightshade family . Mandrakes are mentioned in one passage in Genesis and once in Song of Solomon.
Mandrakes have unusually large, forked roots that sometimes resemble a human body with open arms and legs. In the ancient world, mandrake roots were considered an aphrodisiac and were commonly prepared and eaten as a fertility drug. There are many references to mandrakes in folklore and superstitions in various cultures.
The mention of mandrakes in the Song of Solomon is part of a romantic encounter between Solomon and his new wife. Mandrakes were around them in the countryside, along with grapes, pomegranates, and every delicacy . The mandrakes are providing a fragrance, and, given their reputation as an aphrodisiac, are suggestive of intimacy. The entire description in verses 1013 is of a romantic setting that enhances the desire of the husband and wife for each other.
Which Drug Is Made From Mandrake
Etoposide is a semisynthetic derivative of podophyllotoxin, a substance found naturally in the mandrake plant. Also known as VP-16, this epipodophyllotoxin is used in SCLC and NSCLC, among many others. Most of the published trials utilize infusional etoposide, but an oral formulation is available as well.
Recommended Reading: What Does The Bible Say About Gossip
Was Pomegranate The Forbidden Fruit
The pomegranate is also said to be found in the Garden of Eden according to Ancient Iranian Christianity and was believed to be the real forbidden fruit rather than the apple.
What does pomegranate mean in Hebrew? Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol of righteousness, knowledge, and wisdom because it is said to have 613 seeds, each representing one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah, Damien Stone writes in Pomegranate: A Global History.
What does mandrake look like?
Mandrakes are stemless, perennial herbs with large taproots that can grow up to two feet in length. The flowers emerge in a cluster from the center of the plant, and depending on the species, range in color from a yellow-green to bluish-purple. The sweet-smelling fruits resemble small yellow apples.
Why do we give teachers apples? While the true origin of this small red gift is somewhat of a mystery, the apple is a powerful symbol of knowledge and education. According to Gourmet, in the 1700s, poor families in Denmark and Sweden gave teachers baskets of apples as payment for their childrens educations.
Where Does The Mandrake Appear In The Bible
In Song of Solomon 7:13 we find:
The mandrakes send forth their fragrance, / and at our door is every delicacy, new and old, / that I have kept for you, my beloved.
Mandrake root
In the ancient world, mandrake roots were considered an aphrodisiac and were commonly prepared and consumed as a fertility drug. There are many references to mandrakes in folklore and superstitions in various cultures.
You May Like: Beulah Missionary Baptist Church Decatur Georgia
Does Mandrake Cure Infertility
Mandrake has been desired in many cultures due to the belief that it is an aphrodisiac and promotes fertility. These qualities, along with the fact that they were rarely found in Paddan-Aram, where they lived , explain why both Leah and Rachel desired the plant.
Rachel herself had been childless, Leah had become temporarily infertile , and they both looked to the mandrake for a cure. Once again, the main players in the chapter dont come off so positively. Both Rachel and Leah were showing superstition by putting their hope in a plant without asking Gods blessing on the potential medicine .
It is no wonder that Leah accuses Rachel of stealing from her husband since Jacobs deep and sinful neglect of Leah is evident in his willingness to trade the rare mandrakes for a single night. with the.
Rachel, in a sense, prostitutes Jacob by offering him to Leah for the desired fruit and is clearly more concerned with having children of her own than with her sisters welfare. Both women are willing to negotiate for sexual and relational intimacy, things that should never be negotiated so rudely.
Moses tells us that God listened to Leah and gave her a son even though her prayer is not recorded . Ironically, the blessing of fertility does not come to the one who ate the magical fruit, but to the one who gave it away.
Why Were Mandrakes In The Bible Viewed As Important
The mandrake is a plant that has been included in many ancient myths and legends. It was used for medicinal purposes, but also as an aphrodisiac and love potion. Its roots are said to resemble the shape of a man, so its no surprise that it first appeared in ancient texts during the Bible.
The Bible mentions mandrakes in Song of Songs 7:13-14: Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits camphire with spikenard plants myrrh with sweet cane. In this passage from Song of Songs, the reference is clearly metaphoricalnot literaland contextually depicts beauty rather than use value.
Recommended Reading: What Does The Bible Say About Vision
What Were Pomegranates In The Bible
The Bible only mentions pomegranates in the Old Testament. Pomegranates play an important role as a symbol of righteousness in Judaism, as they supposedly contain 613 seeds, which correspond to the 613 commandments of the Torah.
What does mandrake smell like? Because mandrake actually smells of strong red apple, we gave the fragrance a red fruity heart but grounded it with birch leaf and birch root to suggest the roots of the flower dug into the soil. We also gave the fragrance a sharp aromatic note to suggest its infamous, deadly shriek.
Dont forget to share this post
Is Ginseng A Mandrake
This intrigues me in part because this observation suggests that Ginseng is almost a kind of Mandrake at least in the sense that Mandrake is another plant whose roots are regarded as growing in the shape of a little person. In any case, the word Mandrake is just about as confusing a name as is Ginseng.
Also Check: Does It Say In The Bible Not To Cuss
What Were Mandrakes Used For
Mandrakes were revered and feared in ancient times, as is common with plants with strong capabilities. They contain alkaloids, so when the roots are consumed, they may induce nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, or asphyxiation, depending on the quantity. Hardly a prescription for romance!
Like many roots and plants containing medicinal properties, mandrakes were closely associated with witchcraft. The roots odd size and shape led to nicknames such as apple of Sodom or Satans apple. In many ancient texts of spells, references to mandrakes appear in potion ingredients lists.
John Donne mentions mandrakes in this 1900 poem, which exemplifies the mythology surrounding mandrakes:
Go and Catch a Falling Star
Go and catch a falling star,
Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past years are,
Or who cleft the devils foot,
Teach me to hear mermaids singing,
Or to keep off envys stinging,
And find
Where Are Mandrakes Mentioned In The Bible
Mandrakes were mentioned in genesis 30:14 and songs of songs 7:13. According to the bible, mandrakes were a pretty common plant in and around Israel, which explains their popularity back in the day.
According to the scriptures, Leah and Rachel also used mandrake roots in a bid to boost their fertility. In Rachels case, she used the berries of the plant to aid in her conception as she and Jacob were struggling to get a child but to no avail. That was approximately 4,000 B.C. the latter could only mean that the mandrake plant couldve been in use for thousands of years prior.
Recommended Reading: What To Do With Old Bibles
What Is Mandrake Used For Today
The root and leaves are used to make medicine. People take European mandrake root for treating stomach ulcers, colic, constipation, asthma, hay fever, convulsions, arthritis-like pain , and whooping cough.
What do mandrakes taste like? Captain John Smith of the Virginia Colony wrote of it as a pleasant wholesome fruit much like a lemond in 1612 and seven years later Samuel Champlain, introduced to mandrake by the Hurons, said it tasted like a fig.
What does mandrake look like?
Mandrakes are stemless, perennial herbs with large taproots that can grow up to two feet in length. The flowers emerge in a cluster from the center of the plant, and depending on the species, range in color from a yellow-green to bluish-purple. The sweet-smelling fruits resemble small yellow apples.
Where is mandrakes mentioned in the Bible? The mandrake, Mandragora officinalis, is a strange plant mentioned only in Genesis 30:14 and Song of Songs 7:13 although it is a common plant in many parts of Israel.
Mandrakes Were An Important Garden Plant In Ancient Times And In The Bible
The mandrake is an important garden plant in the Bible. It was used for medicine, food, and as a love charm.
In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil which made them aware that they were naked . After eating from this tree, God punished Adam by making him work hard all day long farming toil with sweat on his brow . He also took away one of Adams ribs so that he could create woman . However, God did not punish Eve because she was deceived into eating by a serpent who told her she would become like gods if she ate . According to legend in ancient times, when women were menstruating their blood had magical properties such as causing crops to grow better or even killing anyone who touched it! So it makes sense that when Eve became pregnant with Cain and Abel there must have been questions raised about how exactly this happened since both brothers were conceived without any male assistance whatsoever.
In conclusion, we can see that the mandrake plant has been an important part of history. In ancient times it was thought to have magical powers and was used as medicine in many cultures around the world. Today, it is still used by some people as medicine but also as a decorative plant in their gardens or homes.
You May Like: What Is The Middle Verse Of The Bible
Mandrake In The Bible: Myths And Truths
Have you heard of the mandrake? It is said that it is a magical plant. The reason for this statement is the circumstance in which its appearance is revealed in two of the most explored biblical passages. But will this be true? In a moment we will tell you where and why the mandrake appears in the bible, and whether or not it has magical powers as many says.
God warns in the scriptures about sorcery, and superstition has a lot to do with it. Sometimes we give our wishes to supposedly magical elements and not to God, who is the true miracle worker.
One of the most notable myths is that of the mandrake, and people hide behind its appearance in the Bible to say a string of meaningless things that throughout this article we are going to analyze and deny, of course, on biblical grounds.
What Are Mandrakes In The Bible
The mandrake plant, also known as the Mandragora Officinaruimby botanists, is one ancient plant that has had its fair share of myths over the years. The plant has not only been written about a few times in the bible but has somehow found itself in the contemporary pop culture where its been featured in blockbuster movies such as the Harry Potter Franchise.
Unlike in Harry Potter movies, mandrakes dont scream when put in a cauldron of boiling water. Mandrakes were also used in ancient Greece as an aphrodisiac. It was alternatively referred to as love apples by the ancients. Its no wonder the Greeks associated the plant with Aphrodite, their goddess of Love. They used to steep the root either in vinegar or wine before it was consumed.
Speaking of consumption, the ancients were fully aware of just how poisonous the mandrake was and wouldnt dare consume it. Today, scientists have found out the reason why mandrake is so deadly. Its because the ancient plant contains two deadly components scopolamine and hyoscyamine. These two alkaloids are not only poisonous but are also powerful hallucinogens.
If ingested, one is likely to suffer from the following symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, dry mouth, and blurred vision. Mandrakes affect different people differently, meaning while others are likely to exhibit all the symptoms listed above, others wont. It only takes 3-6gm of mandrake to kill a grown man. Thats how lethal the plant is.
Contents
You May Like: What Are The 66 Books Of The Bible