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Mandrakes (Dudaim)

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: M

By: George A. Morrish

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 1min

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Mandrakes

Some strong-smelling plant found in the fields of Palestine. Many opinions have been expressed as to what herb is referred to. It is possibly the Mandragora officinarum, called the “love apple,” a relative to the “apple of Sodom.” The Atropa mandragora is another species (Gen. 30:14-16¹⁴And 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. ¹⁵And 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. ¹⁶And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. (Genesis 30:14‑16); Song of Sol. 7:13¹³The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved. (Song of Solomon 7:13)).

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Mandragora Officinarum

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Concise Bible Dictionary: M

• Malchi-shua, Melchi-shua

• Malchiah, Malchijah

• Malchiel, Malchielites

• Mallows (Malluach)

• Man, the Second

• Manahethites

• Mandrakes (Dudaim)