King James Version

What Does Genesis 30:14 Mean?

Genesis 30:14 in the King James Version says “And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. T...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 30 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

Genesis 30:14 · KJV

Prayer

Context

12

And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

13

And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher. Happy: Heb. In my happiness Asher: that is, Happy

14

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.

15

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.

16

And 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.

Read Genesis 30 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unt... This passage belongs to the Jacob narratives which demonstrate God's sovereign election overriding human merit and the transformation of a deceiver into Israel, the father of the twelve tribes. The Jacob cycle shows how divine purposes advance through flawed individuals whom God graciously transforms.

Key themes include God's sovereign choice ("the older shall serve the younger"), the consequences of deception and family dysfunction, exile and return patterns, wrestling with God leading to blessing, and covenant renewal across generations. Jacob's character development from manipulative deceiver to mature patriarch demonstrates sanctification's lifelong process.

Theologically significant aspects include: (1) divine election based on grace not merit (Romans 9:10-13); (2) God's faithfulness to covenant promises despite human unfaithfulness; (3) discipline as evidence of divine love and means of transformation; (4) generational patterns of sin requiring divine intervention to break; (5) prayer and wrestling with God as legitimate expressions of faith. Jacob's limp after wrestling God symbolizes how divine encounters leave permanent marks, transforming our approach to life and dependence on God rather than our own cunning.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse deepen our understanding of God's character and His relationship with creation?
  2. How does this passage challenge modern cultural assumptions about identity, purpose, or morality?
  3. What connections can we trace from this verse to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 22 words
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ1 of 22
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

רְאוּבֵ֜ן2 of 22

“And Reuben”

H7205

reuben, a son of jacob

בִּימֵ֣י3 of 22

“the days”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

קְצִיר4 of 22

“harvest”

H7105

severed, a limb (of a tree, or simply foliage)

חִטִּ֗ים5 of 22

“of wheat”

H2406

wheat, whether the grain or the plant

וַיִּמְצָ֤א6 of 22

“and found”

H4672

properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present

מִדּֽוּדָאֵ֖י7 of 22

“mandrakes”

H1736

a boiler or basket; also the mandrake (as an aphrodisiac)

בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה8 of 22

“in the field”

H7704

a field (as flat)

וַיָּבֵ֣א9 of 22

“and brought”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֹתָ֔ם10 of 22
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֶל11 of 22
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

לֵאָ֔ה12 of 22

“Leah”

H3812

leah, a wife of jacob

אִמּ֑וֹ13 of 22

“them unto his mother”

H517

a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively [like father])

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר14 of 22

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

רָחֵל֙15 of 22

“Then Rachel”

H7354

rachel, a wife of jacob

אֶל16 of 22
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

לֵאָ֔ה17 of 22

“Leah”

H3812

leah, a wife of jacob

תְּנִי18 of 22

“Give me”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

נָ֣א19 of 22
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

לִ֔י20 of 22
H0
מִדּֽוּדָאֵ֖י21 of 22

“mandrakes”

H1736

a boiler or basket; also the mandrake (as an aphrodisiac)

בְּנֵֽךְ׃22 of 22

“I pray thee of thy son's”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 30:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 30:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Song of Solomon 7:13Genesis 25:30

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