Section 746
I. The fragrancy of those flowers or fruits with which she abounds, is here expressed
"The mandrakes give a smell." The Hebrew word םיאודד dudaim, translated mandrakes, is only found in this place, and in 16, in this sense; but what plant or herb is intended by it, is not very easy to determine: Junius and Tremellius have rendered it, in both places, by "flores amabiles, lovely flowers;" which they think best agrees with the etymology of the word: others[4216] render it, Jessamin; others,[4217] lilies; others, violets: R. Solomon Jarchi would have it rendered baskets here, and refers to Jeremiah 24:1, where the people of Israel are represented by two baskets of figs; where a word derived from the same root, and of the same form is used; and that both sorts of people, there represented, may be here said to give a good smell, because now they all sought the face of the Lord. Ludolphus, in his Ethiopic history,[4218] takes it to be the fruit which the Arabians call mauz or muza, (called, by some, the Indian fig) which, in the Abyssine country, is as big as a cucumber, and of the same form and shape; fifty of which grow upon one and the same stalk, and are of a very sweet taste and smell; from which cognation of a great many upon the same stalk, he thinks it took the name of dudaim. Some think, the fruit of the lote-tree is here intended; which, according to Homer,[4219] Herodotus,[4220] Ovid,[4221] and others,[4222] was a very sweet and delicious fruit; sweet apples, as some call them: there were a people in Africa, called Lotophagi, who lived upon it, as observed by the same authors: the mandrake of the Chinese is the famous root they call ginseng; which, with them, is a sovereign remedy for all weaknesses of body or mind; a preservative of health; and they call it the plant that gives immortality. Ravius, in his dissertation concerning the dudaim, thinks the words should be rendered, "the branches put forth their sweet-smelling flowers;" and that the branches of fig-trees are meant, which give a good smell, agreeable to chapter 2:13, and which, he supposes, to be the use of the word, in Jeremiah 24:1, and to his sense Heidegger[4223] agrees; only he thinks the word branches, is not to be restrained to a particular species, but may signify branches of sweet-smelling flowers and fruits in general. But the generality of Translators and Interpreters render it, mandrakes; as do the Septuagint, both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, on Genesis 30:14, though the Targum on this place renders it, balsam: but then it is questionable whether the same plant, which is known among us by the name of mandrakes, is here meant, because of its strong smell; but of this more hereafter. Let us consider what may be intended hereby. And,
1st, By these mandrakes may be meant, the saints and people of God; who are plants of God's right hand planting, are both fragrant and fruitful; and may be compared unto them, 1. Because the mandrake is a cold plant, and therefore used for the assuaging inflammations, and healing ulcers:[4224] the people of God, though they ought not to be cold in divine things, nor lukewarm in the cause of Christ, and vindication of his truths and ordinances; vet are, or at least should be, of cooling spirits, to allay those heats, and heal those divisions which too often appear in the churches of Christ; which they may be instrumental in, by a prudent carriage, a moderate temper, and by using soft and "pleasant words;" which, as Solomon says (Proverbs 15:1, 16:24), "turn away wrath" and are "sweet to the soul, and health to the bones:" and when they appear to be of hot and fiery tempers and dispositions, it is what is opposite to the principle which is wrought in them and that profession which they make. 2. Because the mandrake is supposed to excite love; hence the apples of it are called "apples of love;" and the Hebrew word here used comes from a root which signifies love: the saints may well be represented by them on this account; for they do not provoke Christ to love them, by the love they show him, or the obedience they perform unto him; yet these often draw out Christ's affections to them; and what he himself has wrought in them, and put upon them, render them lovely in his eye; besides, it is their incumbent duty, and should be the great employment of their lives, to provoke one another "to love and good works." 3. They have been also thought to help barrenness,[4225] and to make fruitful; which some have imagined to be the reason of that great contention between Rachel and Leah concerning them; and the same opinion of their prolific virtue remains in those eastern parts still, and they are applied for that purpose; and the plant is described as having a large leaf, bearing a certain sort of fruit, in shape resembling an apple, growing ripe in harvest, but of an ill savor, and not wholesome:[4226] hence the phrase here may intend the fruitfulness of the church in the first times of the gospel, through the vast numbers of souls which were born again therein, when that prophecy was fulfilled (Isaiah 54:1), "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord:" which fruitfulness of the church may be considered as a very good argument used by her here, to prevail on Christ to grant her his presence and company. 4. The mandrake is a narcotic, has a sleepy virtue in it, as Pliny[4227] observes, and much inclines thereunto; Levinus Lemnius[4228] writes of himself, that being in his study, he was suddenly taken with a sleepy fit, which he could by no means account for, until he espied a mandrake-apple upon one of the shelves, to which he ascribed it; and Plutarch[4229] relates, that mandrakes, which grow by vines, give the wine made of them such a virtue, that those who drink of it sleep mope sweetly: the saints are often in sleepy frames themselves; the wise virgins slept as well as the foolish; and conversation with sleepy professors makes others so likewise. 5. It not only inclines to sleep, but makes persons sluggish and slothful; hence those phrases, "to drink the mendrake, and to sleep under a mandrake,"[4230] are proverbially used of persons who are sluggish and inactive in the discharge of their office: the saints are too often so themselves, and the cause thereof in others; being "slothful in business, and not fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," as they ought to be. 6. The apples of the mandrake are very delightful to look upon, being of a yellow or golden color; and so are the saints in Christ's eye; to them he looks, and with them he is well pleased, they being beautified with the garments of his salvation, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit. 7. These mandrakes are said to "give a smell:" it is true, it is not said that they give a good smell; but it may be reasonably supposed that such an one is intended, because their commendation is designed; and they are taken notice of by the church, as what might be inviting to Christ; and so no doubt Reuben's mandrakes, which Rachel took such a fancy to, were fragrant, and of a sweet smell; or we may reasonably suppose the boy would not have gathered them, nor Rachel have took such a liking to them, no more than Leah would have contended with her about them, unless it was for a reason before given. But then the difficulty is to know what plant is intended, seeing our present mandrakes are of an ill and offensive smell; and so is the plant now shewn for it, as before observed; and such an account also Pliny[4231] gives of it; though Dioscorides, Levinus Lemnius[4232] and Augustine,[4233] who says, he saw the plant, and examined it, say, that it is of a very sweet smell; which though it does not agree with the plant which now bears the name, suits well with that intended here; for which reason the saints may be compared unto it, whose persons are of a sweet smell, being clothed with Christ's garments, which "smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia," and anointed with the savory ointments of the Spirit's grace; whose prayers are so, being perfumed with Christ's mediation; and their good works being accepted, with their persons, "in the beloved:" so the Jews[4234] interpret the mandrakes, of the young men of Israel; who have not tasted the taste of sin, pure and. holy persons, free from vicious habits. Or,
2dly, By these mandrakes, which give a good smell, may be meant the doctrines and promises of the gospel; which, 1. Like mandrakes, are of a healing and cooling nature: the law is a fiery law; and when it works, in a sinner's conscience, it makes fiery work there; it worketh wrath, which is only assuaged through the application of gospel doctrines and promises, by the blessed Spirit. 2. Like mandrakes, these excite love; for though it is the law which enjoins and requires love both to God and to our neighbor; yet it is the gospel which moves and presses us to it, with the noblest motives and most powerful arguments; such as those which are taken from the love of God and Christ to us. 3. Like mandrakes; are the means of fruitfulness: it is by the gospel, as the instrumental means, that souls are begotten again to Christ; for though they are born of an incorruptible seed, and are begotten again according to the sovereign will of God, and as an instance of his abundant mercy, yet it is by the word of truth, which liveth and abideth for ever; 4. As the mandrake apples are delightful, so are the doctrines and promises of the gospel; which words being "fitly spoken, are like apples of gold in pictures of silver." 5. As the mandrakes give a good smell, so do these; for to them that are saved, they are "the savor of life unto life."
3dly, By these dudaim or lovely flowers, as Junius translates the word, may be meant the graces of the Spirit; such as faith, repentance, love, thankfulness, hope, humility, etc. 1. Faith may be one of those lovely flowers which give a good smell: this is a flower that does not grow in nature's garden; bat is sown and raised in the Believer's heart, by the power and Spirit of God; which at first is but like a grain of mustard-seed, that is the least of all seeds; but afterwards grows in some more, is others less; but in all it is "alike precious faith," which emits a sweet fragrancy to God and Christ. 2. Repentance may be another of those lovely flowers; this grows in the same garden as faith does; they are sown and raised up together, and that by one and the same hand; and when attended with fruits becoming it, is highly valued by Christ Jesus. 3. Love may be another of those lovely flowers; this precious flower springs from, is raised up and influenced by, as well as scented with the love of Christ: and of all the flowers in the believer's garden, none is fairer in Christ's eye, or gives trim, with its smell, more pleasure and delight; for of this he says, in chapter 4:10, "How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! etc.," 4. The grace of thankfulness is another of these flowers; nay, a certain Expositor[4235] thinks, that it is chiefly intended: the exercise of this grace is required of us, far every mercy, both spiritual and temporal; and in every condition, state, and circumstance of life: this is more pleasing to God; and he smells a sweeter savor of rest in it, than in all burnt-offerings; and a contrary disposition is highly, resented by him, as appears from the case of the ten lepers that were cleansed, of which but one returned to give God thanks. 5. The grace of hope may be another of those lovely flowers: this is none of the meanest flowers which grow in the believer's garden; this is raised by powerful efficacious grace; is watered with divine love; is made to abound through the power of the Holy Ghost; and in which Christ takes no small pleasure and delight "for the Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." 6. The grace of humility is another precious flower; "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price:" this grace so much adorns believers, that Christ says, "to this man will I look, that is poor and of a contrite spirit;" neither can he take his eye off them, nor will he remove from them, but dwell with them for evermore. I might have mentioned many more of those lovely and sweet-smelling flowers, as patience, self-denial, etc, but these may suffice.