The Root of Blessing is God!

“And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes.” (Ge 30:14-15 AV)

For years, I have read this and wondered what the big deal was over these mandrakes!  Why was Reuben harvesting them?  Why was he harvesting them for his mom?  What did Rachel think they were so valuable she was willing to trade a night with Jacob for the harvest?  Then I began to research this root.  Very interesting!  It is no wonder the wife that had and issue with idol worship also was the one preoccupied with mandrakes!  They have a heavy history with the underworld.  Not that Rachel was a devil worshipper, but, the root did and does have wide medicinal and recreational drug use applications.  One of them is a treatment for infertility.  Some of the lore surrounding this root comes from its appearance.  It is not out of the ordinary for the root to take on the appearance of a screaming human.  Lore stated these roots would scream when pulled from the ground and kill the one harvesting them.  People believed this so deeply, they would tie a dog to the root and run, hoping the dog would follow and pull up the root.  Really weird.  None of that has anything to do with this event though.  I don’t see Jacob’s family involved in witchcraft or superstition.

What we can learn, though, is Rachel decided to put up her chances of pregnancy with a medical treatment rather then seeking opportunity and leaving the results up to the LORD.  As a result of this trade, Leah was found with child and after he was born, another came along.  At least two years later, Rachel (with or without the root) was still without child.  It would have been one thing if she was using the mandrake for her own health (which it often was).  But it appears she was using it to improve her chances of receiving a blessing from the LORD.

One cannot manipulate God’s will for oneself.  It was obvious God’s will for Rachel was to be a mother.  Not just of Joseph, but also of Benjamin.  Yet, Benjamin came along two years after the whole mandrake trade.  No credit was given to the supplement.  Only to the LORD!  God is the one who bestows blessings and purpose.  Sometimes He may choose to use a root.  Other times, perhaps not.  The point is, if it is not God’s will, then manipulation is not going to work.  If it is, He will either cause it or allow it.  Whatever the case, God is always in control.