Genesis 30:14
And Ruben, going out in the time of the wheat harvest into the field, found mandrakes: which he brought to his mother Lia. And Rachel said: Give me part of thy son's mandrakes.
Open Genesis 30:14 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Egressus autem Ruben tempore messis triticeæ in agrum, reperit mandragoras, quas matri Liæ detulit. Dixitque Rachel : Da mihi partem de mandragoris filii tui.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐπορεύθη δὲ Ῥουβὴν ἐν ἡμέραις θερισμοῦ πυρῶν καὶ εὗρεν μῆλα μανδραγόρου ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, καὶ ἤνεγκεν αὐτὰ πρὸς Λείαν τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ· εἶπεν δὲ Ῥαχὴλ τῇ Λείᾳ Δός μοι τῶν μανδραγορῶν τοῦ υἱοῦ σου.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֜ן בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר חִטִּ֗ים וַיִּמְצָ֤א דֽוּדָאִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתָ֔ם אֶל לֵאָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ אֶל לֵאָ֔ה תְּנִי נָ֣א לִ֔י מִדּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנֵֽךְ
Haydock's commentary
Ruben, now perhaps about four years old, playing in the fields, in the latter harvest time, (Exodus ix. 32) found mandrakes of an extraordinary beauty and flavour, (Canticle of Canticles vii. 13.) whether they were flowers, lilies, jasmine, &c. as some translate; or rather, fruits of the mandrake tree, according to all the ancient versions; or of the citron, lemon, or orange tree, if we believe Calmet. Dudaim designates two breasts, or something lovely and protuberant. The ancients have spoken with admiration, and have attributed wonderful effects to the mandrakes, which, though controverted by moderns, might suffice to make Rachel greatly desire to have them; at least, if she believed they would contribute to remove her sterility, as Pliny, Natural History xxv. 15. Aristotle (de Gener. ii.) and other naturalists of eminence, have maintained they did. (Haydock)
The effect which she desired so much, was not, however, to be attributed to them, since she conceived only three years after, and that by the blessing of God. (Tirinus)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Eustochium
21. The old law had a different ideal of blessedness, for therein it is said: “Blessed is he who hath seed in Zion and a family in Jerusalem:” and “Cursed is the barren who beareth not:” and “Thy children shall be like olive-plants round about thy table.” Riches too are promised to the faithful and we are told that “there was not one feeble person among their tribes.” But now even to eunuchs it is said, “Say not, behold I am a dry tree,” for instead of sons and daughters you have a place forever in heaven. Now the poor are blessed, now Lazarus is set before Dives in his purple. Now he who is weak is counted strong. But in those days the world was still unpeopled: accordingly, to pass over instances of childlessness meant only to serve as types, those only were considered happy who could boast of children. …