(Song of Solomon 7:13) The original name is Dudaim, and is only mentioned in the instance of Reuben finding them in the field, and bringing them to his mother, (See Genesis 30:14-18) and in this place of the Canticles. There doth not seem to be any determined fruit meant by those mandrakes; and some have concluded, that they were flowers, such as the jessamine or violet; and the language of the church in saying, that they gave a smell, seems to favour this opinion. Some authors, however, have described peculiar qualities to the mandrakes as fruits, not unlike, in their effects on our nature, to what is said of the flocks of Laban, (Genesis 30:37, etc.) and have concluded, that it was on this account that Rachel desired them. This, however, is but conjecture. The church describing them as fragrant, and perhaps having an allusion in that view to the fragrancy of higher objects, may be supposed to convey the idea of the sweet-smelling odour of Jesus, and the fruits and graces of his Spirit.