The Word Am I

The Book of Tobit (Tobias)

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- Chapter 1 -

Tobias’s early piety: his works of mercy, particularly in burying the dead.

1
Tobit was from the tribe and city of Naphtali (which is in the upper parts of Galilee above Asher, after the way, which leads to the west, that has on its left the city of Sephet).(a)
2
Although he had been taken captive in the days of Shalmaneser, the king of the Assyrians, even in such a situation as captivity, he did not desert the way of truth.
3
So then, every day, all that he was able to obtain, he bestowed on his fellow captive brothers, who were from his kindred.
4
And, when he was among the youngest of any in the tribe of Naphtali, he showed not so much as any childish behavior in his work.
5
And then, when all went to the golden calves which Jeroboam, king of Israel, had made, he alone fled from the company of them all.
6
Yet he continued on to Jerusalem, to the temple of the Lord, and there he adored the Lord God of Israel, offering faithfully all his first-fruits and his tithes.
7
So then, in the third year, he administered all his tithes to new converts and to new arrivals.(b)
8
These and similar such things, even as a boy, he observed according to the law of God.
9
Truly, when he had become a man, he received as wife Anna of his own tribe, and he conceived a son by her, to whom he assigned his own name.(c)
10
From his infancy, he taught him to fear God and to abstain from all sin.
11
Therefore, when, during the captivity, he had arrived with his wife and son at the city of Nineveh, with all his tribe,
12
(even though they all ate from the foods of the Gentiles,) he guarded his soul and never was contaminated with their foods.
13
And because he was mindful of the Lord with his whole heart, God gave him favor in the sight of Shalmaneser the king.
14
And he gave him the power to go wherever he would want, having the freedom to do whatever he wished.
15
Therefore, he continued on to all who were in captivity, and he gave them helpful advice.
16
But when he had arrived at Rages, a city of the Medes, he had ten talents of silver, from that which he had been given in honor by the king.
17
And when, in the midst of the great tumult of his kindred, he saw the destitution of Gabael, who was from his tribe, he loaned him, under a written agreement, the aforementioned weight of silver.
18
In truth, after a long time, Shalmaneser the king died, while Sennacherib his son reigned in his place, and he held a hatred for the sons of Israel.
19
Every day, Tobit traveled through all his own people, and he consoled them, and he distributed to each one as much as he could from his resources.
20
He nourished the hungry, and he supplied clothes to the naked, and he showed concern for the burial of the dead and of the slain.
21
And then, when king Sennacherib had returned from Judea, fleeing the scourge which God had caused all around him because of his blasphemy, and, being angry, he was slaughtering many from the sons of Israel, Tobit buried their bodies.
22
And when it was reported to the king, he ordered him to be slain, and he took away all his belongings.
23
In truth, Tobit, fleeing with nothing but his son and his wife, was able to remain hidden because many loved him.(d)
24
In truth, after forty-five days, the king was slain by his own sons,
25
and Tobit was able to return to his house, and all his resources were restored to him.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The Latin text plainly says that Sephet is on the ‘left,’ but the Challoner and the Douay-Rheims versions have this as on the ‘right.’ The Wycliffe version has it as ‘the left.’(Conte)
(b)1:7 In this context, the new arrivals would refer not merely to any stranger or foreigner, but to those who were a new arrival to Jerusalem, who were there to inquire about the Jewish faith. And the new converts would be those one step further in the process of becoming a Jew. The word ‘ministraret’ indicates that Tobit did not merely give away his tithes, but he applied them judiciously to particular persons and circumstances, as needed.(Conte)
(c)1:9 Since Tobit and his son have the same name, editors of various Bible editions have introduced variations on the name, so as to distinguish between the father and his son. In this translation, the father is called ‘Tobit,’ and his son is called, ‘Tobias.’ But actually, they have the same name.(Conte)
(d)1:23 The word ‘nudus’ in this context does not mean that Tobit was naked, but that he fled with nothing of his possessions, but only with his wife and son.(Conte)

Tobias’s early piety: his works of mercy, particularly in burying the dead.

1
The book of the words of Tobit, the son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali;
2
who in the days of Enemessar(a) king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.
3
I, Tobit walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I did many alms deeds to my kindred and my nation, who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh.
4
When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was yet young, all the tribe of Naphtali my father fell away from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, and the temple of the habitation of the Most High was hallowed and built therein for all ages.
5
All the tribes which fell away together sacrificed to the heifer Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my father.
6
I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it has been ordained to all Israel by an everlasting decree, having the first fruits and the tenths of my increase, and that which was first shorn; and I gave them at the altar to the priests the sons of Aaron.
7
I gave a tenth part of all my increase to the sons of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem. A second tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it each year at Jerusalem.
8
A third tenth I gave to them to whom it was appropriate, as Deborah my father’s mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father.
9
When I became a man, I took as wife Anna of the seed of our own family. With her, I became the father of Tobias.
10
When I was carried away captive to Nineveh, all my kindred and my relatives ate of the bread of the Gentiles;
11
but I kept myself from eating,
12
because I remembered God with all my soul.
13
So the Most High gave me grace and favor(b) in the sight of Enemessar, and I was his purchasing agent.
14
And I went into Media, and left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages of Media.
15
And when Enemessar was dead, Sennacherib his son reigned in his place. In his time, the highways were troubled,(c) and I could no longer go into Media.
16
In the days of Enemessar, I did many alms deeds to my kindred: I gave my bread to the hungry,
17
and my garments to the naked. If I saw any of my race dead, and thrown out on(d) the wall of Ninevah, I buried him.
18
If Sennacherib the king killed any, when he came fleeing from Judea, I buried them privately; for in his wrath he killed many; and the bodies were sought for by the king, and were not found.
19
But one of the Ninevites went and showed to the king concerning me, how I buried them, and hid myself; and when I knew that I was sought for to be put to death, I withdrew myself for fear.
20
And all my goods were forcibly taken away, and there was nothing left to me, save my wife Anna and my son Tobias.
21
No more than fifty five days passed before two of his sons killed him, and they fled into the mountains of Ararat. And Sarchedonus(e) his son reigned in his place; and he appointed Achiacharus my brother Anael’s son over all the accounts of his kingdom, and over all his affairs.
22
Achiacharus requested me, and I came to Nineveh. Now Achiacharus was cupbearer, keeper of the signet, steward, and overseer of the accounts. Sarchedonus appointed him next to himself, but he was my brother’s son.

Footnotes

(a)1:2 That is, Shalmaneser.Compare 2 Kings 17:3 23.
(b)1:13 Gr. beauty.
(c)1:15 Gr. his highways were troubled.
(d)1:17 Some ancient authorities read behind.
(e)1:21 That is, Esar-haddon,and so in verse 22.
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