04_Biblica_AN_Bar_Layout 1 16/12/13 12:27 Pagina 571 WHAT DID THE SERVANT GIVE TO REBECCA’S BROTHER AND MOTHER? 571 V. mgdnt: delicious fruits The fact that mgdnt refers to fruits was already noted by medieval commentators and the Midrash. Rashi in his commentary on Gen 24,53 interpreted the word mgdnt as delicious fruits and relates the word to ~ydgm: “The mandrakes yield their fragrance, at our doors all choice of fruits ~ydgm” (Cant 7,14). According to Rashi, Eliezer the servant brought various fine fruits from the land of Israel which he now gave to Rebecca’s family. A similar interpretation was suggested by Radak who states that the noun refers to all precious things including fruits and garments; how- ever, he suggested that the root is !gd. In Midrash Rabbah, “R. Huna interpreted pearls; the Rabbis inter- preted parched ears of corn and nuts. Were then parched ears of corn the most precious of all? This, however, is to teach you that if a man sets out on a journey without his necessary provisions, he will suffer. Similarly, ‘But every woman shall ask of her neighbor […] jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment’ (Exod 3,22): was then raiment the most pre- cious of all? This, however, is to teach you that if a man sets out on a jour- ney without [adequate] raiment, he suffers. Similarly, ‘And all that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold […] and with migdanoth’ (Ezra 1,6). Were then parched ears of corn the most precious of all? But it is to teach you that if a man sets out on a journey without adequate provision, he will suffer” 17. There is yet another piece of information in the text of Genesis that can bolster our study and show that mgdnt are fruits. Before departing for Aram–Naharaim the servant took ten camels and took with him all the bounty (bwj lkw) of his master. This is similar to the description of Hazael who took as a gift 40 camel-loads of all the bounty (bwj lkw) of Damascus (2 Kgs 8,9). Moreover, when Joseph invites his family to settle in Egypt, Pharaoh endorses the decision. Pharaoh says, “I shall give you the best of the land bwj of Egypt and you shall live off the fat of the land” (Gen 45,18). The prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel that if they will be obedient they will eat the good gifts (bwj) of the land (1,19). Similarly when Ezra criticized intermarriage, he tells the Israelites to avoid it so they can eat the good (bwj) of the land so their sons will inherit the land (9,12). In Jeremiah there is a call to the people of Israel to eat and enjoy the produce of the land “to enjoy its fruits hyrp and bounty hbwj” (Jer 2,7). Similarly in Nehemiah 9,36 the people are told “ to enjoy its fruit (hyrp) and bounty (hbwj)”. In the verses from Jeremiah and Nehemiah, the feminine form hbwj is juxtaposed with hyrp fruits. On the basis of this evidence we can see that when the servant took all the bounty of his mas- ter Abraham, he took with him fruits which he gave to Rebecca’s family. 17 Genesis Rabbah, LX,11.