Bibledoorajar Talks of Mandrakes and Sexuality

     Reuben, Jacob's oldest, has now matured to the point that he has some understanding of the supposed ability of mandrakes to make one fertile. While Reuben later used his sexuality inappropriately with Bilhah, at this point in the story he has harvested the plants and has brought them to his mother, Leah. One wonders if he was now old enough to sense or know the rivalry between Jacob's two wives and had decided to help his mother. Rachel saw the boy with the plants and negotiated with her sister for some so that she might become fertile. Jacob must have been spending most of his time with Rachel because Leah commented: "Isn't it enough that you have taken away my husband? Do you have to take my son's mandrakes too?" So a deal was struck. Rachel would get the mandrakes in exchange for Leah getting to sleep with Jacob that night. The text does not say if the mandrakes were used by Leah in some way before she slept with Jacob, but it does reveal that she conceived and bore a son whom she named Issachar which means hire or reward. Her words were "God has given me my hire, because I gave my slave-girl to my husband."

     The race to have sons; the use of exotic plants to have sons; the blessings and judgments of God in the race. What a mix!!! It certainly points up the old human adage "do all you can and let God do the rest!" This is the fifth son that Leah has given to Jacob herself. With men, blessings and judgments come from God. Clearly, Leah is seeking vindication against her sister in the race to produce the line from which God said to Abraham that a Messiah would come. And just as clearly God is involved in Leah's affairs with or without the mandrakes. All of this leads us to ponder the old human adage and to assure ourselves that we have elevated God to the top in all our plans and efforts. It truly is, "If the Lord wills." Isn't it?