Comments on: Jacob and the Mandrakes

By: Cornelius Featherjaw

Cornelius Featherjaw — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 01:27:38 +0000

I meant “well understood,” not “well and understood.”

By: Cornelius Featherjaw

Cornelius Featherjaw — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 01:25:50 +0000

Additionally, at least in the medieval era and most likely in biblical times as well, the natural world was not well and understood, and so things which seem obviously like witchcraft to us today were just facts of life to them. After all, there are real plants which have medicinal properties, so why should a biblical person find anything supernatural in the use of mandrakes to promote conception? The passage in the Bible is not being permissive of witchcraft, but of medical science, primitive as it was at the time.

By: Cornelius Featherjaw

Cornelius Featherjaw — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 01:21:37 +0000

In addition, at least in the medieval era and most likely in the biblical era as well, the natural world was not well understood and so things that we know to simply be science today were thought to be witchcraft, and conversely things we now recognize as impossible under the laws of nature were thought of as just part of the normal world. After all, there are real plants which help cure other ailments, so why should a person in biblical times find anything supernatural about a plant which can cure barrenness in women?

By: Probe

Probe — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 19:01:20 +0000

The Bible reflects the beliefs of the common era of the time and must be read in the context of the period. As today, people had superstitions, good luck charms and “supposed” aphrodisiacs.

By: h

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 22:44:38 +0000

why is the mandrake used permissibly in the bible? Gen 30, v 14, only to be seen in todays world as whitch craft?

By: Beastmaster

Beastmaster — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:13:14 +0000

Oops…

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:55:36 +0000

Interesting. BTW Jacob was the son of Isaac, not Abraham. Abraham was Jacob’s grandfather.

By: Debra Rincon Lopez

Debra Rincon Lopez — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:49:14 +0000

I truly am interested in the stories I have heard here about this plant. They are surely interesting. I will certainly have much respect for this plant. I had seen it on “Harry Potter Movies” but really didn’t understand the origin’s of this interesting plant. I do know some now, so I am going to pass on some of these Legends to other’s so they will fear the plants, as it should be!