Delitzsch has stated, in dealing with this story, that Reuben, the son of Leah, when he was about four or five years of age, was playing in the field— evidently following the reapers. We are expressly toid that it was the time oi £he wheat harvest. During his play he found a pretty little red and white flower with a strong aroma. Childlike, he uprooted it and took it home to his mother. This was the mandrake, of the taproot family, and Rachel seeing it, watered and covered the plant. The near eastern women believed that the mandrake flower root con tained certain medicinal, if not magi cal, properties that were a cure for the barrenness of a woman’s womb. We read that this condition—the fact that she, Rachel, could not bear children by her husband Jacob —*•was a matter of great grief to her. Leah, Jacob’s other wife had borne him four sons. Rachel’s distraction was so great that she even sought to obtain children through her handmaiden. Seeing this mandrake flower she thought it to be her opportunity and requested that it be given to her. In stead, Rachel received the rebuff of her sister who said, “Is it a small mat ter that thou hast taken my husband and would’st thou take away my son’s mandrakes also?” But the two women bargained and the outcome of the whole thing was that Rachel secured the mandrakes, but Leah was given an- (continued on next page) 11
W it h a p ic t u r e of the Breastplate of the High Priest in our think ing, we find that the next study in this series centers around the second stone, the topaz. Although this stone is men tioned quite often in the Bible, its ori gin and meaning are not usually known to the average Bible student. In this study we shall look into the life and characteristics of this son of Jacob for whom the second stone stands —namely, Issachar. Now Issachar was not necessarily the second son of Jacob by birth, but in position as we note here. We have but to recall the story of Jacob and Laban relative to two of Laban’s daughters, whom Jacob mar ried. Also, we recall how Leah be came the first of Jacob’s wives and Issachar was her son. The reason for naming Leah’s son Issachar, which means to hire for payment or reward, is discovered in the account concerning his birth. And here we have ,a story that is often passed over as almost un readable. It is also called a very sordid story, by some. But surely the Bible cannot be that readily discredited. If we approach the account of this birth of Issachar with an honest mind, we shall find that while the action may not be without reproach, yet there is something to be found worthy of medi tation. Were this not true, we may be sure that it would never have been written, for it is in the Bible by the Holy Spirit.
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