patrick jane forums
Philosophy - Apocrypha - Video Ministries => Apocrypha => Topic started by: patrick jane on November 13, 2019, 11:44:55 am
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The Book of Tobit - KJV
By dakk:
Has anyone ever noticed some of the similarities found in the book of Tobit with the conversion of Saul?
Acts 9:10-18 ASV
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth;
12 and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.
17 And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him [hands = power = doctrine] said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
18 And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;
Tobit 3:16-17 KJV
[16] So the prayers of them both were heard before the majesty of the great God.
[17] And Raphael was sent to heal them both, that is, to scale away the whiteness of Tobit's eyes, and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit; and to bind Asmodeus the evil spirit; because she belonged to Tobias by right of inheritance. The selfsame time came Tobit home, and entered into his house, and Sara the daughter of Raguel came down from her upper chamber.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/k/kjv/kjv-idx?type=DIV1&byte=3729381
Tobit 5:4-12 KJV
[4] Therefore when he went to seek a man, he found Raphael that was an angel.
[5] But he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me to Rages? and knowest thou those places well?
[6] To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael.
[7] Then Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father.
[8] Then he said unto him, Go and tarry not. So he went in and said to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with me. Then he said, Call him unto me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee.
[9] So he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another.
[10] Then Tobit said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and family thou art.
[11] To whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or an hired man to go with thy son? Then Tobit said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and name.
[12] Then he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, and of thy brethren.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/k/kjv/kjv-idx?type=DIV1&byte=3729381
Tobit 11:7-14 KJV
[7] Then said Raphael, I know, Tobias, that thy father will open his eyes.
[8] Therefore anoint thou his eyes with the gall, and being pricked therewith, he shall rub, and the whiteness shall fall away, and he shall see thee.
[9] Then Anna ran forth, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said unto him, Seeing I have seen thee, my son, from henceforth I am content to die. And they wept both.
[10] Tobit also went forth toward the door, and stumbled: but his son ran unto him,
[11] And took hold of his father: and he strake of the gall on his fathers' eyes, saying, Be of good hope, my father.
[12] And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them;
[13] And the whiteness pilled away from the corners of his eyes: and when he saw his son, he fell upon his neck.
[14] And he wept, and said, Blessed art thou, O God, and blessed is thy name for ever; and blessed are all thine holy angels:
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/k/kjv/kjv-idx?type=DIV1&byte=3729381
Tobit 12:14-15 KJV
[14] And now God hath sent me to heal thee and Sara thy daughter in law.
[15] I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, [see also Rev 8:3-4] and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/k/kjv/kjv-idx?type=DIV1&byte=3729381
Ananias the great(er) or elder is Hananyah, father-elder of Raphael
Ananias laid his hands/power, (Raphael, his "son", his doctrine), upon Saul
Raphael = "Healing of El", "Healer of El", "Physician of El"
Luke "the Physician" = Raphael "the Physician of El" (Physician of God)
Damascus = Qumran Damasek, (not Damascus, Syria)
Fragments of a Zadokite Work (The Damascus Document)
Related from several previous threads:
ALL scripture is inspired? #48, #59, #66, #77
What constitutes "scripture?" #9, #105, #112
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Was Tobit a Hobbit?
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Was Tobit a Hobbit?
By dakk:
His wife's name was Anna, that is Hannah, the same as Yoakim the father of Maryah: Anna, that is Hannah, was her mother's name. And Tobit was blinded, just as Saulo, who then became Paulo, which is to say, "little", as in Paulo "the Little".
Therefore I say, that if indeed you say, Tobit was a Hobbit, then rightly so also, Paulo "the Little" was a Hobbit. :happy:
Moreover Sarah is the wife of Abraham, and she is an allegory for Yerushalem of above according to the Hobbit: but in this episode Sarah is the daughter of Raguel, who is elsewhere is called Yithro, which is to say, "His Excellency", or simply an ancient way to say "Sir", and that is Yithro Raguel, the Kohen of Midyan and the father of seven little birdies.
Moreover Moshe married into the Melki-Tzedek Elohim priesthood when he married Tzipporah, the daughter of Yithro "His Excellency" Raguel, and Tzipporah was of course one of the seven little birdies, (which are the beloved daughters of doctrine).
Moreover Raguel is also named as one of the seven holy Angels who watch, and that is of course is in the book of 1Enoch, and again, Moshe married one of seven little birdies named Tzipporah who is the beloved doctrine-daughter of Raguel.
Finally, the wife of Raguel in this episode is Edna.
Do you know who Edna is in 1Enoch?
Who therefore is Enoch? :laugh:
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By dakk:
It is written in the heavenly tablets. :happy:
PS:
Heavenly tablets:
Ezekiel 11:14-20
14 Again the Word of YHWH came to me, saying:
15 Son of man, your brethren, even your brethren the men of your kindred, and all the house of Yisrael entirely, are those unto whom the inhabitants of Yerushalem have said, "Get yourselves far from YHWH: unto us is this land given in possession!"
16 Therefore say, Thus says Adonai YHWH, Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the aretzot-lands, yet will I be to them as a little mikdash-sanctuary-temple in the aretzot-lands where they shall come.
17 Therefore say, Thus says Adonai YHWH: I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the aretzot-lands where you have been scattered, and I will give you the adamat-soil of Yisrael.
18 And they shall enter therein: and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof, and all the abominations thereof, out of that place.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new Spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their Elohim.
The adamat or adamah-soil is the same "virgin" fertile soil which Adam was taken from when he was formed from dust of the adamah, (soil), and thus the adamah-soil is the soil of the heart, (Parable of the Sower).
The stone tablets of the heart become flesh, that is, living, (heavenly tablets), and that is to say, when the heart is circumcised. The new Spirit is the Spirit of the new Covenant, which is the Testimony of the Master in the Gospel accounts:
A new Spirit into a renewed-refreshed heart.
Neos-new wine into kainos-renewed wine skins.
See also Ezekiel 18:31 and Ezekiel 36:26.
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I want more dakk.
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I want more dakk.
By dakk:
Lol, I was kinda hoping people would jump in on this but I guess not. By the way, the wife of "His Excellency", Enoch, is of course also named Edna: which is another form of the word Eden, that is, the Paradise Garden from the beginning, Gan Eden.
Keturah, feminine passive participle of H6999 qatar, incense, to burn incense.
Zimran, musical, music.
Jokshan, from H3369 yaqosh, to ensnare, fowler, (lay a) snare.
Medan, the same as H4090 mdan, a contest or quarrel.
Midian, the same as H4079 midyan, a contest or quarrel.
Ishbak, from an unused root corresponding to H7662, (to quit), he will leave, he leaves, he left, he left off, he quit.
Shuah, from 7743 shuwach, to sink, bow down, incline, humble
Sheba, foreign origin, Sabeans
Dedan, Ddan, Ddaneh, uncertain derivation, Kushites.
Asshurim, to be straight, or and inhabitant of Ashur, a district in Israel.
Letushim, masculine plural of passive participle of H3913, to hammer, hammered ones, hammering ones, teachers, instructors, sharpeners, (by instruction).
Leummim, communities, (plural of H3816 l'om, l'owm, a community).
Ephah, the same as H5890, obscurity, cloudy, gloomy, darkness.
Epher, a gazelle, a variation of H6082 opher, a fawn, from H6080 aphar, dust.
Hanock, Chanowk, same name as the antediluvian patriarch, Enoch, initiate, initiated: from H2596 chanak, to narrow, to initiate or discipline, to dedicate, to train up.
Abida, father of knowledge.
Eldaah, El of knowledge, mighty one of knowledge.
All these were the sons of Incense, (Keturah).
Genesis 25:1-4
1 And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Incense.
2 And she produced for him music, and a snare, and a quarrel, and a contest: and he left off, and was humbled.
3 And the snare produced Sheba and Dedan: but the sons of Dedan were straight, and instructor-teachers of the communities.
4 And the sons of the contest: obscurity, and a fawn-gazelle, and Enoch the father of knowledge and mighty one of knowledge: all these were the sons of Incense.
This is the genealogy of Yithrow Raguel, "His Execellency" Raguel, (Enoch initiate).
The Torah was given by the instrumentality of Messenger-Angels, (Acts 7:53), and was thoroughly prescribed-ordained by way of the Messenger-Angels in the hand of a Mediator, (Galatians 3:19), which Mediator in the case of the giving of the Torah was Moses.
"His Excellency" (Yithrow) Raguel, the "father-in-law" of Moses, is not is a Messenger: he represents Enoch, for his teaching is that of Enoch. And in this manner, (Genesis 25:1-4, the genealogy of Midian and therefore Yithrow Raguel, the Priest of Midian), Moses places himself squarely in the Elohim Priesthood which is after the order of Melki-Tzedek: for Abraham met with Melki-Tzedek, and Melki-Tzedek blessed him, and Abraham himself was therefore also a Priest after the order of Melki-Tzedek. Immediately after the meeting with Melki-Tzedek, (Gen 14:18-24), the Word comes to Abraham in a vision, and Elohim cuts covenant with Abraham, (Gen 15:1-21).
What therefore are the seven daughters of "His Excellency" Raguel? They are the "daughters" of his sevenfold doctrine. Moses marries into the Elohim Melki-Tzedek Priesthood when he marries "Tzipporah", that is, a clean bird. So the seven daughters of Yithrow Raguel are like seven little birdies with a doctrine, (like seven songs), that is to say, Moses "married" into the doctrine of Yithrow Raguel, who represents a Priest after the order of Enoch the Priest and Scribe, which is the same antediluvian Melki-Tzedek order from before the flood.
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So dakk, what do you make of the account in Tobit? Was it written before or after Pauls's writings and do you think one story is grafted from another, as are many Biblical accounts?
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So dakk, what do you make of the account in Tobit? Was it written before or after Pauls's writings and do you think one story is grafted from another, as are many Biblical accounts?
By dakk:
It is full of symbolism just as is all of scripture, and yes, I believe it is written before the writings of Paul, and yes, I believe it is all interwoven, (scripture). For instance, you will find a somewhat partial explanation in Tobit concerning the three friends of Daniel, whose names were Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. Mishael is likely a reference to Michael, (one of the seven holy Angels who watch), while the other two names transliterated from the LXX are the same as those found in Tobit where the Angel Raphael gives his name, that is Azarias, which is the same as Azariah.
Moreover, not only that, but you can see from Tobit 5:12 quoted above herein, that Raphael says, "I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great(er)".
Azarias = Azariah (Dan 1:6)
Ananias = Hananiah (Dan 1:6)
Mishael = Michael (Dan 1:6)
Therefore, with Gabriel, we may actually have not two but rather four holy Angels in the book of Daniel: and this cannot likely be understood without the book of Tobit and what it says about Raphael. If therefore we have Raphael, (Azariah-Azarias, Dan 1:6), and Gabriel, (Dan 8:16, 9:21) and Michael, (Dan 10:13, 10:21, 12:1), who is the fourth holy Angel?
Enoch tells us about the four that are roundabout the throne, (they are the same four in the Apocalypse). Whoever the fourth one is: he is also likely Hananiah-Ananias the greater, (or more likely elder, that is, in antiquity).
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So dakk, what do you make of the account in Tobit? Was it written before or after Pauls's writings and do you think one story is grafted from another, as are many Biblical accounts?
By dakk:
It is full of symbolism just as is all of scripture, and yes, I believe it is written before the writings of Paul, and yes, I believe it is all interwoven, (scripture). For instance, you will find a somewhat partial explanation in Tobit concerning the three friends of Daniel, whose names were Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. Mishael is likely a reference to Michael, (one of the seven holy Angels who watch), while the other two names transliterated from the LXX are the same as those found in Tobit where the Angel Raphael gives his name, that is Azarias, which is the same as Azariah.
Moreover, not only that, but you can see from Tobit 5:12 quoted above herein, that Raphael says, "I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great(er)".
Azarias = Azariah (Dan 1:6)
Ananias = Hananiah (Dan 1:6)
Mishael = Michael (Dan 1:6)
Therefore, with Gabriel, we may actually have not two but rather four holy Angels in the book of Daniel: and this cannot likely be understood without the book of Tobit and what it says about Raphael. If therefore we have Raphael, (Azariah-Azarias, Dan 1:6), and Gabriel, (Dan 8:16, 9:21) and Michael, (Dan 10:13, 10:21, 12:1), who is the fourth holy Angel?
Enoch tells us about the four that are roundabout the throne, (they are the same four in the Apocalypse). Whoever the fourth one is: he is also likely Hananiah-Ananias the greater, (or more likely elder, that is, in antiquity).
Interesting. I suppose I could find Tobit online and read it all. I have wondered about this because I heard there are four archangels but it doesn't seem the other two are mentioned much, only Gabriel and Michael. Where is Raphael mentioned in the 66?
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So dakk, what do you make of the account in Tobit? Was it written before or after Pauls's writings and do you think one story is grafted from another, as are many Biblical accounts?
By dakk:
It is full of symbolism just as is all of scripture, and yes, I believe it is written before the writings of Paul, and yes, I believe it is all interwoven, (scripture). For instance, you will find a somewhat partial explanation in Tobit concerning the three friends of Daniel, whose names were Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. Mishael is likely a reference to Michael, (one of the seven holy Angels who watch), while the other two names transliterated from the LXX are the same as those found in Tobit where the Angel Raphael gives his name, that is Azarias, which is the same as Azariah.
Moreover, not only that, but you can see from Tobit 5:12 quoted above herein, that Raphael says, "I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great(er)".
Azarias = Azariah (Dan 1:6)
Ananias = Hananiah (Dan 1:6)
Mishael = Michael (Dan 1:6)
Therefore, with Gabriel, we may actually have not two but rather four holy Angels in the book of Daniel: and this cannot likely be understood without the book of Tobit and what it says about Raphael. If therefore we have Raphael, (Azariah-Azarias, Dan 1:6), and Gabriel, (Dan 8:16, 9:21) and Michael, (Dan 10:13, 10:21, 12:1), who is the fourth holy Angel?
Enoch tells us about the four that are roundabout the throne, (they are the same four in the Apocalypse). Whoever the fourth one is: he is also likely Hananiah-Ananias the greater, (or more likely elder, that is, in antiquity).
Interesting. I suppose I could find Tobit online and read it all. I have wondered about this because I heard there are four archangels but it doesn't seem the other two are mentioned much, only Gabriel and Michael. Where is Raphael mentioned in the 66?
By dakk:
Loukas is "Leukos the White", the Physician-Healer of El, (Raphael means "Healer of El" or "Healing of El", ("God's Physician")). In Acts 13:1 Lukios, (generally rendered as "Lucius"), maybe a possible reference to him. Moreover Symeon Nijer is "Symeon the Black", (the meaning of Nijer is black), and Sopater Pyrrhus is "Sopater the Red", (the meaning of Pyrrhus is red, Acts 20:4), while the fourth is of course Philippos, ("friend of horses", (face of an eagle, Uriel)), one of the Seven, (Acts 21:8). And Philippos, like Uriel, has four virgin daughters of his doctrine which prophesy, (which is why you see in other writings that Uriel is combined with names of angels, such as in Enoch, where Uriel is also Phanuel as well as his name being a portion of the compound name Arsayalalyur, 1Enoch 10:1-2).
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Tambora said:
Many years ago I remember asking a Catholic why their church didn't disembowel a fish for exorcisms like the book of Tobit taught to do for exorcisms.
By dakk:
https://www.bibliacatolica.com.br/new-jerusalem-bible/tobit/8/
An interesting note about that portion is that some texts read that Raphael pursued the demon Asmodeus down to Egypt, (which always represents the flesh in typology), and strangled or choked him out there.
What happened to the swine in the Gospel accounts where the demon named "Legion" was cast out into the swine? The swine rushed down a hillside or steep place into the sea, (or lake, Luke 8:33), and were strangled or choked out.
In the parable of the sower, the thorns do the same in those who hear the Word but have thorns in the soil of the heart: the thorns choke out the Word from the soil of the heart, (Mat 13:7, Mrk 4:7, Luk 8:7). And yet the thorns are said to be the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the riches and pleasures of this life, and the lusts of other things entering in, (Mat 13:22, Mrk 4:18, Luk 8:14).
Tobit 8:1-3 New Jerusalem Bible
1 When they had finished eating and drinking and it seemed time to go to bed, the young man was taken from the dining room to the bedroom.
2 Tobias remembered Raphael's advice; he went to his bag, took the fish's heart and liver out of it and put some on the burning incense.
3 The reek of the fish distressed the demon, who fled through the air to Egypt. Raphael pursued him there, shackled him and strangled him forthwith.
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Some **** said:
Tobit is part of the authentic Old Testament canon. It is not "apocrypha".
Tobit is accepted as part of the authentic Old Testament canon by Eastern Orthodox, Coptics, Traditional Anglicans and Catholics.... ....in other words almost all of Christianity.
Most scholars date the book's composition between 225 and 175 BC.
The Old Testament includes:
The Book of Tobit
The Book of Judith
The First Book of Maccabees, also called 1 Maccabees
The Second Book of Maccabees, also called 2 Maccabees
The Wisdom of Solomon, also called The Book of Wisdom
The Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus
The Book of Baruch, with the Letter of Jeremiah as its last chapter
(The Book of Daniel and the Book of Esther are longer in Catholic Bibles than in Protestant Bibles because they have more stories.)
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Some **** said:
Tobit is part of the authentic Old Testament canon. It is not "apocrypha".
Tobit is accepted as part of the authentic Old Testament canon by Eastern Orthodox, Coptics, Traditional Anglicans and Catholics.... ....in other words almost all of Christianity.
Most scholars date the book's composition between 225 and 175 BC.
The Old Testament includes:
The Book of Tobit
The Book of Judith
The First Book of Maccabees, also called 1 Maccabees
The Second Book of Maccabees, also called 2 Maccabees
The Wisdom of Solomon, also called The Book of Wisdom
The Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus
The Book of Baruch, with the Letter of Jeremiah as its last chapter
(The Book of Daniel and the Book of Esther are longer in Catholic Bibles than in Protestant Bibles because they have more stories.)
By dakk:
Hi CC, fair point, feel free to discuss Tobit and debate your point also, that is, if anyone decides to chime in and disagrees with you. I'm glad to see someone show an interest in the topic and post here in this thread. Thanks for you input.
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Some **** said:
Tobit is part of the authentic Old Testament canon. It is not "apocrypha".
Tobit is accepted as part of the authentic Old Testament canon by Eastern Orthodox, Coptics, Traditional Anglicans and Catholics.... ....in other words almost all of Christianity.
Most scholars date the book's composition between 225 and 175 BC.
The Old Testament includes:
The Book of Tobit
The Book of Judith
The First Book of Maccabees, also called 1 Maccabees
The Second Book of Maccabees, also called 2 Maccabees
The Wisdom of Solomon, also called The Book of Wisdom
The Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus
The Book of Baruch, with the Letter of Jeremiah as its last chapter
(The Book of Daniel and the Book of Esther are longer in Catholic Bibles than in Protestant Bibles because they have more stories.)
By dakk:
Hi CC, fair point, feel free to discuss Tobit and debate your point also, that is, if anyone decides to chime in and disagrees with you. I'm glad to see someone show an interest in the topic and post here in this thread. Thanks for you input.
Some ****:
Thank you for the respectful response, a rarity these days for me. LOL
You are a Messianic Jew? I guess you can appreciate the fact that Tobit and other books were in the Septuigent before Jesus was even born.
I contend that based on nuances in OT quotes in the Gospels, that the apostles used the Septuigent, and therefore it should be accepted by Christians. (Plus the fact that it was affirmed in early 4th century councils.)
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Some **** said:
Tobit is part of the authentic Old Testament canon. It is not "apocrypha".
Tobit is accepted as part of the authentic Old Testament canon by Eastern Orthodox, Coptics, Traditional Anglicans and Catholics.... ....in other words almost all of Christianity.
Most scholars date the book's composition between 225 and 175 BC.
The Old Testament includes:
The Book of Tobit
The Book of Judith
The First Book of Maccabees, also called 1 Maccabees
The Second Book of Maccabees, also called 2 Maccabees
The Wisdom of Solomon, also called The Book of Wisdom
The Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus
The Book of Baruch, with the Letter of Jeremiah as its last chapter
(The Book of Daniel and the Book of Esther are longer in Catholic Bibles than in Protestant Bibles because they have more stories.)
By dakk:
Hi CC, fair point, feel free to discuss Tobit and debate your point also, that is, if anyone decides to chime in and disagrees with you. I'm glad to see someone show an interest in the topic and post here in this thread. Thanks for you input.
Some ****:
Thank you for the respectful response, a rarity these days for me. LOL
You are a Messianic Jew? I guess you can appreciate the fact that Tobit and other books were in the Septuigent before Jesus was even born.
I contend that based on nuances in OT quotes in the Gospels, that the apostles used the Septuigent, and therefore it should be accepted by Christians. (Plus the fact that it was affirmed in early 4th century councils.)
By dakk:
I try not to make claims of Jewishness and rather let that be up to the Master to decide. But the reason I posted this thread here in this section was, for one, to try to help get this little section of the forum going, and for two, because most here would likely consider Tobit to be apocrypha: but indeed, if it came down to a debate, I would fall out more in agreement with your position.
However I don't really even look at the writings that way anymore, as far as official canons go, my "canon" includes quite a bit more than the Protestant canon, but I don't view "outside" books as perfect, (for example 1Enoch and 4Ezra, which have later additions, and are more like compilations in their current forms), even though I do study them.
Moreover even books within the current O/T canon, or which are now considered canon by most everyone, have some great discrepancies between the Hebrew and Septuagint texts. The book of Esther is a good example: and I fall out on the side of the Septuagint, there has certainly been some tinkering going on in what we now have as the current form of the Masorete Hebrew Text, (the Masorete pointing system is actually an interpretation of the text, it is a commentary, the greatest commentary ever foisted upon the Hebrew text).
As for the Septuagint no doubt the Apostolic authors quoted either from it or from something that was very, very similar, for many quotes are verbatim. But also no doubt Paul read, understood, and was fluent in, at the very least, Hebrew, probably two or three dialects of Aramaic, (for example Galilean Aramaic was a different dialect), and Greek.
Thus someone like Paul would have been able to read both the Hebrew text and the Septuagint; and I believe this fact comes out in his writings, for there are even places where the N/T authors, (not just Paul), are quietly correcting small matters and details in the Septuagint in some instances. This should be no surprise to anyone, and imo should be expected, since when the LXX was rendered the Messiah had not yet come. However it is my opinion that those who rendered the LXX-Septuagint where much, much closer to the truth in their understanding than the Messiah rejecting Masoretes who edited the Hebrew text, much, much later.
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Some **** said:
Tobit is part of the authentic Old Testament canon. It is not "apocrypha".
Tobit is accepted as part of the authentic Old Testament canon by Eastern Orthodox, Coptics, Traditional Anglicans and Catholics.... ....in other words almost all of Christianity.
Most scholars date the book's composition between 225 and 175 BC.
The Old Testament includes:
The Book of Tobit
The Book of Judith
The First Book of Maccabees, also called 1 Maccabees
The Second Book of Maccabees, also called 2 Maccabees
The Wisdom of Solomon, also called The Book of Wisdom
The Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus
The Book of Baruch, with the Letter of Jeremiah as its last chapter
(The Book of Daniel and the Book of Esther are longer in Catholic Bibles than in Protestant Bibles because they have more stories.)
By dakk:
Hi CC, fair point, feel free to discuss Tobit and debate your point also, that is, if anyone decides to chime in and disagrees with you. I'm glad to see someone show an interest in the topic and post here in this thread. Thanks for you input.
Some ****:
Thank you for the respectful response, a rarity these days for me. LOL
You are a Messianic Jew? I guess you can appreciate the fact that Tobit and other books were in the Septuigent before Jesus was even born.
I contend that based on nuances in OT quotes in the Gospels, that the apostles used the Septuigent, and therefore it should be accepted by Christians. (Plus the fact that it was affirmed in early 4th century councils.)
By dakk:
I try not to make claims of Jewishness and rather let that be up to the Master to decide. But the reason I posted this thread here in this section was, for one, to try to help get this little section of the forum going, and for two, because most here would likely consider Tobit to be apocrypha: but indeed, if it came down to a debate, I would fall out more in agreement with your position.
However I don't really even look at the writings that way anymore, as far as official canons go, my "canon" includes quite a bit more than the Protestant canon, but I don't view "outside" books as perfect, (for example 1Enoch and 4Ezra, which have later additions, and are more like compilations in their current forms), even though I do study them.
Moreover even books within the current O/T canon, or which are now considered canon by most everyone, have some great discrepancies between the Hebrew and Septuagint texts. The book of Esther is a good example: and I fall out on the side of the Septuagint, there has certainly been some tinkering going on in what we now have as the current form of the Masorete Hebrew Text, (the Masorete pointing system is actually an interpretation of the text, it is a commentary, the greatest commentary ever foisted upon the Hebrew text).
As for the Septuagint no doubt the Apostolic authors quoted either from it or from something that was very, very similar, for many quotes are verbatim. But also no doubt Paul read, understood, and was fluent in, at the very least, Hebrew, probably two or three dialects of Aramaic, (for example Galilean Aramaic was a different dialect), and Greek.
Thus someone like Paul would have been able to read both the Hebrew text and the Septuagint; and I believe this fact comes out in his writings, for there are even places where the N/T authors, (not just Paul), are quietly correcting small matters and details in the Septuagint in some instances. This should be no surprise to anyone, and imo should be expected, since when the LXX was rendered the Messiah had not yet come. However it is my opinion that those who rendered the LXX-Septuagint where much, much closer to the truth in their understanding than the Messiah rejecting Masoretes who edited the Hebrew text, much, much later.
PJ.. I look+ at it like this....Since God is the author of the whole book, If he had wanted it available to us as divinely written, then it would be there. Nothing could stop Him from doing this....Nothing or no one......
Look to the Lord....that is what Jesus DID!
Blade
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Blade, I'm not studying apocrypha, I'm just posting it here for people that are interested.
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Book of Tobit
Tobit 1 [Full Chapter]
(a) The books and parts of books from Tobit through 2 Maccabees are recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Roman Catholic, Greek, and Russian Orthodox Churches. This book tells the story of Tobit son of Tobiel son of Hananiel son of Aduel son of Gabael son of Raphael son of Raguel of the descendants of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali, who in the days of King Shalmaneser of the Assyrians was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh Naphtali in Upper Galilee, above Asher toward the west, and north of Phogor. [ Tobit’s Youth and Virtuous Life ] I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life. I performed many acts of charity for my kindred and my people who had gone with me in exile to Nineveh in the land of the Assyrians. ...
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Tobit 1:1(a) The books and parts of books from Tobit through 2 Maccabees are recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Roman Catholic, Greek, and Russian Orthodox Churches. This book tells the story of Tobit son of Tobiel son of Hananiel son of Aduel son of Gabael son of Raphael son of Raguel of the descendants of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali,
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Tobit 1:3[ Tobit’s Youth and Virtuous Life ] I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life. I performed many acts of charity for my kindred and my people who had gone with me in exile to Nineveh in the land of the Assyrians.
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Tobit 2:7[ Tobit Becomes Blind ] When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him.
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Tobit 2:11[ Tobit’s Wife Earns Their Livelihood ] At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women’s work.
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Tobit 3:1[ Tobit’s Prayer ] Then with much grief and anguish of heart I wept, and with groaning began to pray:
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Tobit 3:17So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God’s light with his eyes; and Sarah, daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah daughter of Raguel came down from her upper room.
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Tobit 4:1[ Tobit Gives Instructions to His Son ] That same day Tobit remembered the money that he had left in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media,
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Tobit 5:1[ The Angel Raphael ] Then Tobias answered his father Tobit, “I will do everything that you have commanded me, father;
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Tobit 5:3Then Tobit answered his son Tobias, “He gave me his bond and I gave him my bond. I divided his in two; we each took one part, and I put one with the money. And now twenty years have passed since I left this money in trust. So now, my son, find yourself a trustworthy man to go with you, and we will pay him wages until you return. But get back the money from Gabael.”
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Tobit 5:9So Tobias went in to tell his father Tobit and said to him, “I have just found a man who is one of our own Israelite kindred!” He replied, “Call the man in, my son, so that I may learn about his family and to what tribe he belongs, and whether he is trustworthy enough to go with you.”
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Tobit 5:10Then Tobias went out and called him, and said, “Young man, my father is calling for you.” So he went in to him, and Tobit greeted him first. He replied, “Joyous greetings to you!” But Tobit retorted, “What joy is left for me any more? I am a man without eyesight; I cannot see the light of heaven, but I lie in darkness like the dead who no longer see the light. Although still alive, I am among the dead. I hear people but I cannot see them.” But the young man said, “Take courage; the time is near for God to heal you; take courage.” Then Tobit said to him, “My son Tobias wishes to go to Media. Can you accompany him and guide him? I will pay your wages, brother.” He answered, “I can go with him and I know all the roads, for I have often gone to Media and have crossed all its plains, and I am familiar with its mountains and all of its roads.”
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Tobit 5:11Then Tobit said to him, “Brother, of what family are you and from what tribe? Tell me, brother.”
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Tobit 5:12He replied, “Why do you need to know my tribe?” But Tobit said, “I want to be sure, brother, whose son you are and what your name is.”
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Tobit 5:14Then Tobit said to him, “Welcome! God save you, brother. Do not feel bitter toward me, brother, because I wanted to be sure about your ancestry. It turns out that you are a kinsman, and of good and noble lineage. For I knew Hananiah and Nathan, the two sons of Shemeliah, and they used to go with me to Jerusalem and worshiped with me there, and were not led astray. Your kindred are good people; you come of good stock. Hearty welcome!”
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Tobit 5:17So Tobit said to him, “Blessings be upon you, brother.” Then he called his son and said to him, “Son, prepare supplies for the journey and set out with your brother. May God in heaven bring you safely there and return you in good health to me; and may his angel, my son, accompany you both for your safety.” Before he went out to start his journey, he kissed his father and mother. Tobit then said to him, “Have a safe journey.”
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Tobit 5:18But his mother began to weep, and said to Tobit, “Why is it that you have sent my child away? Is he not the staff of our hand as he goes in and out before us?
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Tobit 5:21Tobit said to her, “Do not worry; our child will leave in good health and return to us in good health. Your eyes will see him on the day when he returns to you in good health. Say no more! Do not fear for them, my sister.
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Tobit 7:2He said to his wife Edna, “How much the young man resembles my kinsman Tobit!”
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Tobit 7:4She said to them, “Do you know our kinsman Tobit?” And they replied, “Yes, we know him.” Then she asked them, “Is he in good health?”
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Tobit 9:5So Raphael with the four servants and two camels went to Rages in Media and stayed with Gabael. Raphael gave him the bond and informed him that Tobit’s son Tobias had married and was inviting him to the wedding celebration. So Gabael got up and counted out to him the money bags, with their seals intact; then they loaded them on the camels.
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Tobit 9:6In the morning they both got up early and went to the wedding celebration. When they came into Raguel’s house they found Tobias reclining at table. He sprang up and greeted Gabael, who wept and blessed him with the words, “Good and noble son of a father good and noble, upright and generous! May the Lord grant the blessing of heaven to you and your wife, and to your wife’s father and mother. Blessed be God, for I see in Tobias the very image of my cousin Tobit.”
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Tobit 10:1[ Anxiety of the Parents ] Now, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobias would need for going and for returning. And when the days had passed and his son did not appear,
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Tobit 10:6But Tobit kept saying to her, “Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear; he is all right. Probably something unexpected has happened there. The man who went with him is trustworthy and is one of our own kin. Do not grieve for him, my dear; he will soon be here.”
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Tobit 10:8But Raguel said to Tobias, “Stay, my child, stay with me; I will send messengers to your father Tobit and they will inform him about you.”
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Tobit 11:7[ Tobit’s Sight Restored ] Raphael said to Tobias, before he had approached his father, “I know that his eyes will be opened.
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Tobit 2 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
2 Then during the reign of Esar-haddon[a] I returned home, and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored to me. At our festival of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I reclined to eat. 2 When the table was set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, “Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles in Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back.” 3 So Tobias went to look for some poor person of our people. When he had returned he said, “Father!” And I replied, “Here I am, my child.” Then he went on to say, “Look, father, one of our own people has been murdered and thrown into the market place, and now he lies there strangled.” 4 Then I sprang up, left the dinner before even tasting it, and removed the body[c] from the square[d] and laid it[e] in one of the rooms until sunset when I might bury it.[f] 5 When I returned, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. 6 Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said against Bethel,[g]
“Your festivals shall be turned into mourning,
and all your songs into lamentation.”
And I wept.
Tobit Becomes Blind
7 When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him. 8 And my neighbors laughed and said, “Is he still not afraid? He has already been hunted down to be put to death for doing this, and he ran away; yet here he is again burying the dead!” 9 That same night I washed myself and went into my courtyard and slept by the wall of the courtyard; and my face was uncovered because of the heat. 10 I did not know that there were sparrows on the wall; their fresh droppings fell into my eyes and produced white films. I went to physicians to be healed, but the more they treated me with ointments the more my vision was obscured by the white films, until I became completely blind. For four years I remained unable to see. All my kindred were sorry for me, and Ahikar took care of me for two years before he went to Elymais.
Tobit’s Wife Earns Their Livelihood
11 At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women’s work. 12 She used to send what she made to the owners and they would pay wages to her. One day, the seventh of Dystrus, when she cut off a piece she had woven and sent it to the owners, they paid her full wages and also gave her a young goat for a meal. 13 When she returned to me, the goat began to bleat. So I called her and said, “Where did you get this goat? It is surely not stolen, is it? Return it to the owners; for we have no right to eat anything stolen.” 14 But she said to me, “It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages.” But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners. I became flushed with anger against her over this. Then she replied to me, “Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds? These things are known about you!”[h]
Footnotes:
Tobit 2:1 Gk Sacherdonos
Tobit 2:2 Lat: Gk wholeheartedly mindful
Tobit 2:4 Gk him
Tobit 2:4 Other ancient authorities lack from the square
Tobit 2:4 Gk him
Tobit 2:4 Gk him
Tobit 2:6 Other ancient authorities read against Bethlehem
Tobit 2:14 Or to you; Gk with you
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Tobit 3 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Tobit’s Prayer
3 Then with much grief and anguish of heart I wept, and with groaning began to pray:
2 “You are righteous, O Lord,
and all your deeds are just;
all your ways are mercy and truth;
you judge the world.[a]
3 And now, O Lord, remember me
and look favorably upon me.
Do not punish me for my sins
and for my unwitting offenses
and those that my ancestors committed before you.
They sinned against you,
4 and disobeyed your commandments.
So you gave us over to plunder, exile, and death,
to become the talk, the byword, and an object of reproach
among all the nations among whom you have dispersed us.
5 And now your many judgments are true
in exacting penalty from me for my sins.
For we have not kept your commandments
and have not walked in accordance with truth before you.
6 So now deal with me as you will;
command my spirit to be taken from me,
so that I may be released from the face of the earth and become dust.
For it is better for me to die than to live,
because I have had to listen to undeserved insults,
and great is the sorrow within me.
Command, O Lord, that I be released from this distress;
release me to go to the eternal home,
and do not, O Lord, turn your face away from me.
For it is better for me to die
than to see so much distress in my life
and to listen to insults.”
Sarah Falsely Accused
7 On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, was reproached by one of her father’s maids. 8 For she had been married to seven husbands, and the wicked demon Asmodeus had killed each of them before they had been with her as is customary for wives. So the maid said to her, “You are the one who kills your husbands! See, you have already been married to seven husbands and have not borne the name of[c] a single one of them. 9 Why do you beat us? Because your husbands are dead? Go with them! May we never see a son or daughter of yours!”
Sarah’s Prayer for Death
10 On that day she was grieved in spirit and wept. When she had gone up to her father’s upper room, she intended to hang herself. But she thought it over and said, “Never shall they reproach my father, saying to him, ‘You had only one beloved daughter but she hanged herself because of her distress.’ And I shall bring my father in his old age down in sorrow to Hades. It is better for me not to hang myself, but to pray the Lord that I may die and not listen to these reproaches anymore.” 11 At that same time, with hands outstretched toward the window, she prayed and said,
“Blessed are you, merciful God!
Blessed is your name forever;
let all your works praise you forever.
12 And now, Lord,[d] I turn my face to you,
and raise my eyes toward you.
13 Command that I be released from the earth
and not listen to such reproaches any more.
14 You know, O Master, that I am innocent
of any defilement with a man,
15 and that I have not disgraced my name
or the name of my father in the land of my exile.
I am my father’s only child;
he has no other child to be his heir;
and he has no close relative or other kindred
for whom I should keep myself as wife.
Already seven husbands of mine have died.
Why should I still live?
But if it is not pleasing to you, O Lord, to take my life,
hear me in my disgrace.”
An Answer to Prayer
16 At that very moment, the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of God. 17 So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God’s light with his eyes; and Sarah, daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah daughter of Raguel came down from her upper room.
Footnotes:
Tobit 3:2 Other ancient authorities read you render true and righteous judgment forever
Tobit 3:8 Other ancient authorities read strangles
Tobit 3:8 Other ancient authorities read have had no benefit from
Tobit 3:12 Other ancient authorities lack Lord
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Tobit 4 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Tobit Gives Instructions to His Son
4 That same day Tobit remembered the money that he had left in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media, 2 and he said to himself, “Now I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias and explain to him about the money before I die?” 3 Then he called his son Tobias, and when he came to him he said, “My son, when I die,[a] give me a proper burial. Honor your mother and do not abandon her all the days of her life. Do whatever pleases her, and do not grieve her in anything. 4 Remember her, my son, because she faced many dangers for you while you were in her womb. And when she dies, bury her beside me in the same grave.
5 “Revere the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing; 6 for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousness 7 give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. 8 If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have. 9 So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity. 10 For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the Darkness. 11 Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.
12 “Beware, my son, of every kind of fornication. First of all, marry a woman from among the descendants of your ancestors; do not marry a foreign woman, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my son, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our ancestors of old, all took wives from among their kindred. They were blessed in their children, and their posterity will inherit the land. 13 So now, my son, love your kindred, and in your heart do not disdain your kindred, the sons and daughters of your people, by refusing to take a wife for yourself from among them. For in pride there is ruin and great confusion. And in idleness there is loss and dire poverty, because idleness is the mother of famine.
14 “Do not keep over until the next day the wages of those who work for you, but pay them at once. If you serve God you will receive payment. Watch yourself, my son, in everything you do, and discipline yourself in all your conduct. 15 And what you hate, do not do to anyone. Do not drink wine to excess or let drunkenness go with you on your way. 16 Give some of your food to the hungry, and some of your clothing to the naked. Give all your surplus as alms, and do not let your eye begrudge your giving of alms. 17 Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners. 18 Seek advice from every wise person and do not despise any useful counsel. 19 At all times bless the Lord God, and ask him that your ways may be made straight and that all your paths and plans may prosper. For none of the nations has understanding, but the Lord himself will give them good counsel; but if he chooses otherwise, he casts down to deepest Hades. So now, my child, remember these commandments, and do not let them be erased from your heart.
Money Left in Trust with Gabael
20 “And now, my son, let me explain to you that I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael son of Gabrias, at Rages in Media. 21 Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth if you fear God and flee from every sin and do what is good in the sight of the Lord your God.”
Footnotes:
Tobit 4:3 Lat
Tobit 4:6 The text of codex Sinaiticus goes directly from verse 6 to verse 19, reading To those who practice righteousness 19 the Lord will give good counsel. In order to fill the lacuna verses 7 to 18 are derived from other ancient authorities
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Tobit 5 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Angel Raphael
5 Then Tobias answered his father Tobit, “I will do everything that you have commanded me, father; 2 but how can I obtain the money[a] from him, since he does not know me and I do not know him? What evidence am I to give him so that he will recognize and trust me, and give me the money? Also, I do not know the roads to Media, or how to get there.” 3 Then Tobit answered his son Tobias, “He gave me his bond and I gave him my bond. I[c] divided his in two; we each took one part, and I put one with the money. And now twenty years have passed since I left this money in trust. So now, my son, find yourself a trustworthy man to go with you, and we will pay him wages until you return. But get back the money from Gabael.”[d]
4 So Tobias went out to look for a man to go with him to Media, someone who was acquainted with the way. He went out and found the angel Raphael standing in front of him; but he did not perceive that he was an angel of God. 5 Tobias[e] said to him, “Where do you come from, young man?” “From your kindred, the Israelites,” he replied, “and I have come here to work.” Then Tobias[f] said to him, “Do you know the way to go to Media?” 6 “Yes,” he replied, “I have been there many times; I am acquainted with it and know all the roads. I have often traveled to Media, and would stay with our kinsman Gabael who lives in Rages of Media. It is a journey of two days from Ecbatana to Rages; for it lies in a mountainous area, while Ecbatana is in the middle of the plain.” 7 Then Tobias said to him, “Wait for me, young man, until I go in and tell my father; for I do need you to travel with me, and I will pay you your wages.” 8 He replied, “All right, I will wait; but do not take too long.”
9 So Tobias[g] went in to tell his father Tobit and said to him, “I have just found a man who is one of our own Israelite kindred!” He replied, “Call the man in, my son, so that I may learn about his family and to what tribe he belongs, and whether he is trustworthy enough to go with you.”
10 Then Tobias went out and called him, and said, “Young man, my father is calling for you.” So he went in to him, and Tobit greeted him first. He replied, “Joyous greetings to you!” But Tobit retorted, “What joy is left for me any more? I am a man without eyesight; I cannot see the light of heaven, but I lie in darkness like the dead who no longer see the light. Although still alive, I am among the dead. I hear people but I cannot see them.” But the young man[h] said, “Take courage; the time is near for God to heal you; take courage.” Then Tobit said to him, “My son Tobias wishes to go to Media. Can you accompany him and guide him? I will pay your wages, brother.” He answered, “I can go with him and I know all the roads, for I have often gone to Media and have crossed all its plains, and I am familiar with its mountains and all of its roads.”
11 Then Tobit said to him, “Brother, of what family are you and from what tribe? Tell me, brother.” 12 He replied, “Why do you need to know my tribe?” But Tobit[j] said, “I want to be sure, brother, whose son you are and what your name is.” 13 He replied, “I am Azariah, the son of the great Hananiah, one of your relatives.” 14 Then Tobit said to him, “Welcome! God save you, brother. Do not feel bitter toward me, brother, because I wanted to be sure about your ancestry. It turns out that you are a kinsman, and of good and noble lineage. For I knew Hananiah and Nathan,[k] the two sons of Shemeliah,[l] and they used to go with me to Jerusalem and worshiped with me there, and were not led astray. Your kindred are good people; you come of good stock. Hearty welcome!”
15 Then he added, “I will pay you a drachma a day as wages, as well as expenses for yourself and my son. So go with my son, 16 and[m] I will add something to your wages.” Raphael[n] answered, “I will go with him; so do not fear. We shall leave in good health and return to you in good health, because the way is safe.” 17 So Tobit- said to him, “Blessings be upon you, brother.”
Then he called his son and said to him, “Son, prepare supplies for the journey and set out with your brother. May God in heaven bring you safely there and return you in good health to me; and may his angel, my son, accompany you both for your safety.”
Before he went out to start his journey, he kissed his father and mother. Tobit then said to him, “Have a safe journey.”
18 But his mother[p] began to weep, and said to Tobit, “Why is it that you have sent my child away? Is he not the staff of our hand as he goes in and out before us? 19 Do not heap money upon money, but let it be a ransom for our child. 20 For the life that is given to us by the Lord is enough for us.” 21 Tobit[q] said to her, “Do not worry; our child will leave in good health and return to us in good health. Your eyes will see him on the day when he returns to you in good health. Say no more! Do not fear for them, my sister. 22 For a good angel will accompany him; his journey will be successful, and he will come back in good health.”
Footnotes:
Tobit 5:2 Gk it
Tobit 5:2 Gk sign
Tobit 5:3 Other authorities read He
Tobit 5:3 Gk from him
Tobit 5:5 Gk He
Tobit 5:5 Gk he
Tobit 5:9 Gk he
Tobit 5:10 Gk he
Tobit 5:11 Gk he
Tobit 5:12 Gk he
Tobit 5:14 Other ancient authorities read Jathan or Nathaniah
Tobit 5:14 Other ancient authorities read Shemaiah
Tobit 5:16 Other ancient authorities add when you return safely
Tobit 5:16 Gk He
Tobit 5:17 Gk he
Tobit 5:18 Other ancient authorities add Anna
Tobit 5:21 Gk He
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Tobit 6 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
6 1 So she stopped weeping.
Journey to Rages
The young man went out and the angel went with him; 2 and the dog came out with him and went along with them. So they both journeyed along, and when the first night overtook them they camped by the Tigris river. 3 Then the young man went down to wash his feet in the Tigris river. Suddenly a large fish leaped up from the water and tried to swallow the young man’s foot, and he cried out. 4 But the angel said to the young man, “Catch hold of the fish and hang on to it!” So the young man grasped the fish and drew it up on the land. 5 Then the angel said to him, “Cut open the fish and take out its gall, heart, and liver. Keep them with you, but throw away the intestines. For its gall, heart, and liver are useful as medicine.” 6 So after cutting open the fish the young man gathered together the gall, heart, and liver; then he roasted and ate some of the fish, and kept some to be salted.
The two continued on their way together until they were near Media.[a] 7 Then the young man questioned the angel and said to him, “Brother Azariah, what medicinal value is there in the fish’s heart and liver, and in the gall?” 8 He replied, “As for the fish’s heart and liver, you must burn them to make a smoke in the presence of a man or woman afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, and every affliction will flee away and never remain with that person any longer. 9 And as for the gall, anoint a person’s eyes where white films have appeared on them; blow upon them, upon the white films, and the eyes will be healed.”
Raphael’s Instructions
10 When he entered Media and already was approaching Ecbatana,[c] 11 Raphael said to the young man, “Brother Tobias.” “Here I am,” he answered. Then Raphael[d] said to him, “We must stay this night in the home of Raguel. He is your relative, and he has a daughter named Sarah. 12 He has no male heir and no daughter except Sarah only, and you, as next of kin to her, have before all other men a hereditary claim on her. Also it is right for you to inherit her father’s possessions. Moreover, the girl is sensible, brave, and very beautiful, and her father is a good man.” 13 He continued, “You have every right to take her in marriage. So listen to me, brother; tonight I will speak to her father about the girl, so that we may take her to be your bride. When we return from Rages we will celebrate her marriage. For I know that Raguel can by no means keep her from you or promise her to another man without incurring the penalty of death according to the decree of the book of Moses. Indeed he knows that you, rather than any other man, are entitled to marry his daughter. So now listen to me, brother, and tonight we shall speak concerning the girl and arrange her engagement to you. And when we return from Rages we will take her and bring her back with us to your house.”
14 Then Tobias said in answer to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, I have heard that she already has been married to seven husbands and that they died in the bridal chamber. On the night when they went in to her, they would die. I have heard people saying that it was a demon that killed them. 15 It does not harm her, but it kills anyone who desires to approach her. So now, since I am the only son my father has, I am afraid that I may die and bring my father’s and mother’s life down to their grave, grieving for me—and they have no other son to bury them.”
16 But Raphael[e] said to him, “Do you not remember your father’s orders when he commanded you to take a wife from your father’s house? Now listen to me, brother, and say no more about this demon. Take her. I know that this very night she will be given to you in marriage. 17 When you enter the bridal chamber, take some of the fish’s liver and heart, and put them on the embers of the incense. An odor will be given off; 18 the demon will smell it and flee, and will never be seen near her any more. Now when you are about to go to bed with her, both of you must first stand up and pray, imploring the Lord of heaven that mercy and safety may be granted to you. Do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before the world was made. You will save her, and she will go with you. I presume that you will have children by her, and they will be as brothers to you. Now say no more!” When Tobias heard the words of Raphael and learned that she was his kinswoman,[f] related through his father’s lineage, he loved her very much, and his heart was drawn to her.
Footnotes:
Tobit 6:6 Other ancient authorities read Ecbatana
Tobit 6:9 Gk they
Tobit 6:10 Other ancient authorities read Rages
Tobit 6:11 Gk he
Tobit 6:16 Gk he
Tobit 6:18 Gk sister
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Tobit 7 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Arrival at Home of Raguel
7 Now when they[a] entered Ecbatana, Tobias said to him, “Brother Azariah, take me straight to our brother Raguel.” So he took him to Raguel’s house, where they found him sitting beside the courtyard door. They greeted him first, and he replied, “Joyous greetings, brothers; welcome and good health!” Then he brought them into his house. 2 He said to his wife Edna, “How much the young man resembles my kinsman Tobit!” 3 Then Edna questioned them, saying, “Where are you from, brothers?” They answered, “We belong to the descendants of Naphtali who are exiles in Nineveh.” 4 She said to them, “Do you know our kinsman Tobit?” And they replied, “Yes, we know him.” Then she asked them, “Is he[c] in good health?” 5 They replied, “He is alive and in good health.” And Tobias added, “He is my father!” 6 At that Raguel jumped up and kissed him and wept. 7 He also spoke to him as follows, “Blessings on you, my child, son of a good and noble father![d] O most miserable of calamities that such an upright and beneficent man has become blind!” He then embraced his kinsman Tobias and wept. 8 His wife Edna also wept for him, and their daughter Sarah likewise wept. 9 Then Raguel[e] slaughtered a ram from the flock and received them very warmly.
Marriage of Tobias and Sarah
When they had bathed and washed themselves and had reclined to dine, Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, ask Raguel to give me my kinswoman[f] Sarah.” 10 But Raguel overheard it and said to the lad, “Eat and drink, and be merry tonight. For no one except you, brother, has the right to marry my daughter Sarah. Likewise I am not at liberty to give her to any other man than yourself, because you are my nearest relative. But let me explain to you the true situation more fully, my child. 11 I have given her to seven men of our kinsmen, and all died on the night when they went in to her. But now, my child, eat and drink, and the Lord will act on behalf of you both.” But Tobias said, “I will neither eat nor drink anything until you settle the things that pertain to me.” So Raguel said, “I will do so. She is given to you in accordance with the decree in the book of Moses, and it has been decreed from heaven that she be given to you. Take your kinswoman;[g] from now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today and forever. May the Lord of heaven, my child, guide and prosper you both this night and grant you mercy and peace.” 12 Then Raguel summoned his daughter Sarah. When she came to him he took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias,[h] saying, “Take her to be your wife in accordance with the law and decree written in the book of Moses. Take her and bring her safely to your father. And may the God of heaven prosper your journey with his peace.” 13 Then he called her mother and told her to bring writing material; and he wrote out a copy of a marriage contract, to the effect that he gave her to him as wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. 14 Then they began to eat and drink.
15 Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, “Sister, get the other room ready, and take her there.” 16 So she went and made the bed in the room as he had told her, and brought Sarah there. She wept for her daughter.[j] Then, wiping away the tears,[k] she said to her, “Take courage, my daughter; the Lord of heaven grant you joy[l] in place of your sorrow. Take courage, my daughter.” Then she went out.
Footnotes:
Tobit 7:1 Other ancient authorities read he
Tobit 7:1 Gk he
Tobit 7:4 Other ancient authorities add alive and
Tobit 7:7 Other ancient authorities add When he heard that Tobit had lost his sight, he was stricken with grief and wept. Then he said,
Tobit 7:9 Gk he
Tobit 7:9 Gk sister
Tobit 7:11 Gk sister
Tobit 7:12 Gk him
Tobit 7:16 Gk her
Tobit 7:16 Gk her
Tobit 7:16 Other ancient authorities read the tears of her daughter
Tobit 7:16 Other ancient authorities read favor
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Tobit 8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Tobias Routs the Demon
8 When they had finished eating and drinking they wanted to retire; so they took the young man and brought him into the bedroom. 2 Then Tobias remembered the words of Raphael, and he took the fish’s liver and heart out of the bag where he had them and put them on the embers of the incense. 3 The odor of the fish so repelled the demon that he fled to the remotest parts[a] of Egypt. But Raphael followed him, and at once bound him there hand and foot.
4 When the parents had gone out and shut the door of the room, Tobias got out of bed and said to Sarah,[c] “Sister, get up, and let us pray and implore our Lord that he grant us mercy and safety.” 5 So she got up, and they began to pray and implore that they might be kept safe. Tobias[d] began by saying,
“Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors,
and blessed is your name in all generations forever.
Let the heavens and the whole creation bless you forever.
6 You made Adam, and for him you made his wife Eve
as a helper and support.
From the two of them the human race has sprung.
You said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone;
let us make a helper for him like himself.’
7 I now am taking this kinswoman of mine,
not because of lust,
but with sincerity.
Grant that she and I may find mercy
and that we may grow old together.”
8 And they both said, “Amen, Amen.” 9 Then they went to sleep for the night.
But Raguel arose and called his servants to him, and they went and dug a grave, 10 for he said, “It is possible that he will die and we will become an object of ridicule and derision.” 11 When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel went into his house and called his wife, 12 saying, “Send one of the maids and have her go in to see if he is alive. But if he is dead, let us bury him without anyone knowing it.” 13 So they sent the maid, lit a lamp, and opened the door; and she went in and found them sound asleep together. 14 Then the maid came out and informed them that he was alive and that nothing was wrong. 15 So they blessed the God of heaven, and Raguel[e] said,
“Blessed are you, O God, with every pure blessing;
let all your chosen ones bless you.[f]
Let them bless you forever.
16 Blessed are you because you have made me glad.
It has not turned out as I expected,
but you have dealt with us according to your great mercy.
17 Blessed are you because you had compassion
on two only children.
Be merciful to them, O Master, and keep them safe;
bring their lives to fulfillment
in happiness and mercy.”
18 Then he ordered his servants to fill in the grave before daybreak.
Wedding Feast
19 After this he asked his wife to bake many loaves of bread; and he went out to the herd and brought two steers and four rams and ordered them to be slaughtered. So they began to make preparations. 20 Then he called for Tobias and swore on oath to him in these words:[g] “You shall not leave here for fourteen days, but shall stay here eating and drinking with me; and you shall cheer up my daughter, who has been depressed. 21 Take at once half of what I own and return in safety to your father; the other half will be yours when my wife and I die. Take courage, my child. I am your father and Edna is your mother, and we belong to you as well as to your wife[h] now and forever. Take courage, my child.”
Footnotes:
Tobit 8:3 Or fled through the air to the parts
Tobit 8:4 Gk they
Tobit 8:4 Gk her
Tobit 8:5 Gk He
Tobit 8:15 Gk they
Tobit 8:15 Other ancient authorities lack this line
Tobit 8:20 Other ancient authorities read Tobias and said to him
Tobit 8:21 Gk sister
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Tobit 9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Money Recovered
9 Then Tobias called Raphael and said to him, 2 “Brother Azariah, take four servants and two camels with you and travel to Rages. Go to the home of Gabael, give him the bond, get the money, and then bring him with you to the wedding celebration. 4 For you know that my father must be counting the days, and if I delay even one day I will upset him very much. 3 You are witness to the oath Raguel has sworn, and I cannot violate his oath.”[a] 5 So Raphael with the four servants and two camels went to Rages in Media and stayed with Gabael. Raphael gave him the bond and informed him that Tobit’s son Tobias had married and was inviting him to the wedding celebration. So Gabael[c] got up and counted out to him the money bags, with their seals intact; then they loaded them on the camels.[d] 6 In the morning they both got up early and went to the wedding celebration. When they came into Raguel’s house they found Tobias reclining at table. He sprang up and greeted Gabael,[e] who wept and blessed him with the words, “Good and noble son of a father good and noble, upright and generous! May the Lord grant the blessing of heaven to you and your wife, and to your wife’s father and mother. Blessed be God, for I see in Tobias the very image of my cousin Tobit.”
Footnotes:
Tobit 9:3 In other ancient authorities verse 3 precedes verse 4
Tobit 9:5 Gk He
Tobit 9:5 Gk he
Tobit 9:5 Other ancient authorities lack on the camels
Tobit 9:6 Gk him
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Tobit 10 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Anxiety of the Parents
10 Now, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobias[a] would need for going and for returning. And when the days had passed and his son did not appear, 2 he said, “Is it possible that he has been detained? Or that Gabael has died, and there is no one to give him the money?” 3 And he began to worry. 4 His wife Anna said, “My child has perished and is no longer among the living.” And she began to weep and mourn for her son, saying, 5 “Woe to me, my child, the light of my eyes, that I let you make the journey.” 6 But Tobit kept saying to her, “Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear; he is all right. Probably something unexpected has happened there. The man who went with him is trustworthy and is one of our own kin. Do not grieve for him, my dear;[c] he will soon be here.” 7 She answered him, “Be quiet yourself! Stop trying to deceive me! My child has perished.” She would rush out every day and watch the road her son had taken, and would heed no one.[d] When the sun had set she would go in and mourn and weep all night long, getting no sleep at all.
Tobias and Sarah Start for Home
Now when the fourteen days of the wedding celebration had ended that Raguel had sworn to observe for his daughter, Tobias came to him and said, “Send me back, for I know that my father and mother do not believe that they will see me again. So I beg of you, father, to let me go so that I may return to my own father. I have already explained to you how I left him.” 8 But Raguel said to Tobias, “Stay, my child, stay with me; I will send messengers to your father Tobit and they will inform him about you.” 9 But he said, “No! I beg you to send me back to my father.” 10 So Raguel promptly gave Tobias his wife Sarah, as well as half of all his property: male and female slaves, oxen and sheep, donkeys and camels, clothing, money, and household goods. 11 Then he saw them safely off; he embraced Tobias[e] and said, “Farewell, my child; have a safe journey. The Lord of heaven prosper you and your wife Sarah, and may I see children of yours before I die.” 12 Then he kissed his daughter Sarah and said to her, “My daughter, honor your father-in-law and your mother-in-law,[f] since from now on they are as much your parents as those who gave you birth. Go in peace, daughter, and may I hear a good report about you as long as I live.” Then he bade them farewell and let them go. Then Edna said to Tobias, “My child and dear brother, the Lord of heaven bring you back safely, and may I live long enough to see children of you and of my daughter Sarah before I die. In the sight of the Lord I entrust my daughter to you; do nothing to grieve her all the days of your life. Go in peace, my child. From now on I am your mother and Sarah is your beloved wife.[g] May we all prosper together all the days of our lives.” Then she kissed them both and saw them safely off. 13 Tobias parted from Raguel with happiness and joy, praising the Lord of heaven and earth, King over all, because he had made his journey a success. Finally, he blessed Raguel and his wife Edna, and said, “I have been commanded by the Lord to honor you all the days of my life.”[h]
Footnotes:
Tobit 10:1 Gk he
Tobit 10:6 Gk sister
Tobit 10:6 Gk sister
Tobit 10:7 Other ancient authorities read and she would eat nothing
Tobit 10:11 Gk him
Tobit 10:12 Other ancient authorities lack parts of Then . . . mother-in-law
Tobit 10:12 Gk sister
Tobit 10:13 Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain
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Tobit 11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Homeward Journey
11 When they came near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, Raphael said, 2 “You are aware of how we left your father. 3 Let us run ahead of your wife and prepare the house while they are still on the way.” 4 As they went on together Raphael[a] said to him, “Have the gall ready.” And the dog went along behind them.
5 Meanwhile Anna sat looking intently down the road by which her son would come. 6 When she caught sight of him coming, she said to his father, “Look, your son is coming, and the man who went with him!”
Tobit’s Sight Restored
7 Raphael said to Tobias, before he had approached his father, “I know that his eyes will be opened. 8 Smear the gall of the fish on his eyes; the medicine will make the white films shrink and peel off from his eyes, and your father will regain his sight and see the light.”
9 Then Anna ran up to her son and threw her arms around him, saying, “Now that I have seen you, my child, I am ready to die.” And she wept. 10 Then Tobit got up and came stumbling out through the courtyard door. Tobias went up to him, 11 with the gall of the fish in his hand, and holding him firmly, he blew into his eyes, saying, “Take courage, father.” With this he applied the medicine on his eyes, 12 and it made them smart.[c] 13 Next, with both his hands he peeled off the white films from the corners of his eyes. Then Tobit[d] saw his son and[e] threw his arms around him, 14 and he wept and said to him, “I see you, my son, the light of my eyes!” Then he said,
“Blessed be God,
and blessed be his great name,
and blessed be all his holy angels.
May his holy name be blessed[f]
throughout all the ages.
15 Though he afflicted me,
he has had mercy upon me.[g]
Now I see my son Tobias!”
So Tobit went in rejoicing and praising God at the top of his voice. Tobias reported to his father that his journey had been successful, that he had brought the money, that he had married Raguel’s daughter Sarah, and that she was, indeed, on her way there, very near to the gate of Nineveh.
16 Then Tobit, rejoicing and praising God, went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh. When the people of Nineveh saw him coming, walking along in full vigor and with no one leading him, they were amazed. 17 Before them all, Tobit acknowledged that God had been merciful to him and had restored his sight. When Tobit met Sarah the wife of his son Tobias, he blessed her saying, “Come in, my daughter, and welcome. Blessed be your God who has brought you to us, my daughter. Blessed be your father and your mother, blessed be my son Tobias, and blessed be you, my daughter. Come in now to your home, and welcome, with blessing and joy. Come in, my daughter.” So on that day there was rejoicing among all the Jews who were in Nineveh. 18 Ahikar and his nephew Nadab were also present to share Tobit’s joy. With merriment they celebrated Tobias’s wedding feast for seven days, and many gifts were given to him.[h]
Footnotes:
Tobit 11:4 Gk he
Tobit 11:4 Codex Sinaiticus reads And the Lord
Tobit 11:12 Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain
Tobit 11:13 Gk he
Tobit 11:13 Other ancient authorities lack saw his son and
Tobit 11:14 Codex Sinaiticus reads May his great name be upon us and blessed be all the angels
Tobit 11:15 Lat: Gk lacks this line
Tobit 11:18 Other ancient authorities lack parts of this sentence
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Tobit 12 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Raphael’s Wages
12 When the wedding celebration was ended, Tobit called his son Tobias and said to him, “My child, see to paying the wages of the man who went with you, and give him a bonus as well.” 2 He replied, “Father, how much shall I pay him? It would do no harm to give him half of the possessions brought back with me. 3 For he has led me back to you safely, he cured my wife, he brought the money back with me, and he healed you. How much extra shall I give him as a bonus?” 4 Tobit said, “He deserves, my child, to receive half of all that he brought back.” 5 So Tobias[a] called him and said, “Take for your wages half of all that you brought back, and farewell.”
Raphael’s Exhortation
6 Then Raphael called the two of them privately and said to them, “Bless God and acknowledge him in the presence of all the living for the good things he has done for you. Bless and sing praise to his name. With fitting honor declare to all people the deeds[c] of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. 7 It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to acknowledge and reveal the works of God, and with fitting honor to acknowledge him. Do good and evil will not overtake you. 8 Prayer with fasting[d] is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing.[e] It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. 9 For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, 10 but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies.
Raphael Discloses His Identity
11 “I will now declare the whole truth to you and will conceal nothing from you. Already I have declared it to you when I said, ‘It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal with due honor the works of God.’ 12 So now when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and read[f] the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you would bury the dead. 13 And that time when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead, 14 I was sent to you to test you. And at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. 15 I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.”
16 The two of them were shaken; they fell face down, for they were afraid. 17 But he said to them, “Do not be afraid; peace be with you. Bless God forevermore. 18 As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting on my own will, but by the will of God. Bless him each and every day; sing his praises. 19 Although you were watching me, I really did not eat or drink anything—but what you saw was a vision. 20 So now get up from the ground,[g] and acknowledge God. See, I am ascending to him who sent me. Write down all these things that have happened to you.” And he ascended. 21 Then they stood up, and could see him no more. 22 They kept blessing God and singing his praises, and they acknowledged God for these marvelous deeds of his, when an angel of God had appeared to them.
Footnotes:
Tobit 12:5 Gk he
Tobit 12:6 Gk he
Tobit 12:6 Gk words; other ancient authorities read words of the deeds
Tobit 12:8 Codex Sinaiticus with sincerity
Tobit 12:8 Lat
Tobit 12:12 Lat: Gk lacks and read
Tobit 12:20 Other ancient authorities read now bless the Lord on earth
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Tobit 13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Tobit’s Thanksgiving to God
13 Then Tobit[a] said:
“Blessed be God who lives forever,
because his kingdom lasts throughout all ages.
2 For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;
he leads down to Hades in the lowest regions of the earth,
and he brings up from the great abyss,[c]
and there is nothing that can escape his hand.
3 Acknowledge him before the nations, O children of Israel;
for he has scattered you among them.
4 He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him in the presence of every living being,
because he is our Lord and he is our God;
he is our Father and he is God forever.
5 He will afflict[d] you for your iniquities,
but he will again show mercy on all of you.
He will gather you from all the nations
among whom you have been scattered.
6 If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,
to do what is true before him,
then he will turn to you
and will no longer hide his face from you.
So now see what he has done for you;
acknowledge him at the top of your voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of the ages.[e]
In the land of my exile I acknowledge him,
and show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners:
‘Turn back, you sinners, and do what is right before him;
perhaps he may look with favor upon you and show you mercy.’
7 As for me, I exalt my God,
and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.
8 Let all people speak of his majesty,
and acknowledge him in Jerusalem.
9 O Jerusalem, the holy city,
he afflicted[f] you for the deeds of your hands,[g]
but will again have mercy on the children of the righteous.
10 Acknowledge the Lord, for he is good,[h]
and bless the King of the ages,
so that his tent may be rebuilt in you in joy.
May he cheer all those within you who are captives,
and love all those within you who are distressed,
to all generations forever.
11 A bright light will shine to all the ends of the earth;
many nations will come to you from far away,
the inhabitants of the remotest parts of the earth to your holy name,
bearing gifts in their hands for the King of heaven.
Generation after generation will give joyful praise in you;
the name of the chosen city will endure forever.
12 Cursed are all who speak a harsh word against you;
cursed are all who conquer you
and pull down your walls,
all who overthrow your towers
and set your homes on fire.
But blessed forever will be all who revere you.[j]
13 Go, then, and rejoice over the children of the righteous,
for they will be gathered together
and will praise the Lord of the ages.
14 Happy are those who love you,
and happy are those who rejoice in your prosperity.
Happy also are all people who grieve with you
because of your afflictions;
for they will rejoice with you
and witness all your glory forever.
15 My soul blesses[k] the Lord, the great King!
16 For Jerusalem will be built[l] as his house for all ages.
How happy I will be if a remnant of my descendants should survive
to see your glory and acknowledge the King of heaven.
The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald,
and all your walls with precious stones.
The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold,
and their battlements with pure gold.
The streets of Jerusalem will be paved
with ruby and with stones of Ophir.
17 The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy,
and all her houses will cry, ‘Hallelujah!
Blessed be the God of Israel!’
and the blessed will bless the holy name forever and ever.”
Footnotes:
Tobit 13:1 Gk he
Tobit 13:1 Other ancient authorities read forever, and his kingdom
Tobit 13:2 Gk from destruction
Tobit 13:5 Other ancient authorities read He afflicted
Tobit 13:6 The lacuna in codex Sinaiticus, verses 6b to 10a, is filled in from other ancient authorities
Tobit 13:9 Other ancient authorities read will afflict
Tobit 13:9 Other ancient authorities read your children
Tobit 13:10 Other ancient authorities read Lord worthily
Tobit 13:10 Or tabernacle
Tobit 13:12 Other ancient authorities read who build you up
Tobit 13:15 Or O my soul, bless
Tobit 13:16 Other ancient authorities add for a city
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Tobit 14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Tobit’s Final Counsel
14 So ended Tobit’s words of praise.
2 Tobit[a] died in peace when he was one hundred twelve years old, and was buried with great honor in Nineveh. He was sixty-two years old when he lost his eyesight, and after regaining it he lived in prosperity, giving alms and continually blessing God and acknowledging God’s majesty.
3 When he was about to die, he called his son Tobias and the seven sons of Tobias[c] and gave this command: “My son, take your children 4 and hurry off to Media, for I believe the word of God that Nahum spoke about Nineveh, that all these things will take place and overtake Assyria and Nineveh. Indeed, everything that was spoken by the prophets of Israel, whom God sent, will occur. None of all their words will fail, but all will come true at their appointed times. So it will be safer in Media than in Assyria and Babylon. For I know and believe that whatever God has said will be fulfilled and will come true; not a single word of the prophecies will fail. All of our kindred, inhabitants of the land of Israel, will be scattered and taken as captives from the good land; and the whole land of Israel will be desolate, even Samaria and Jerusalem will be desolate. And the temple of God in it will be burned to the ground, and it will be desolate for a while.[d]
5 “But God will again have mercy on them, and God will bring them back into the land of Israel; and they will rebuild the temple of God, but not like the first one until the period when the times of fulfillment shall come. After this they all will return from their exile and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor; and in it the temple of God will be rebuilt, just as the prophets of Israel have said concerning it. 6 Then the nations in the whole world will all be converted and worship God in truth. They will all abandon their idols, which deceitfully have led them into their error; 7 and in righteousness they will praise the eternal God. All the Israelites who are saved in those days and are truly mindful of God will be gathered together; they will go to Jerusalem and live in safety forever in the land of Abraham, and it will be given over to them. Those who sincerely love God will rejoice, but those who commit sin and injustice will vanish from all the earth. 8,9 So now, my children, I command you, serve God faithfully and do what is pleasing in his sight. Your children are also to be commanded to do what is right and to give alms, and to be mindful of God and to bless his name at all times with sincerity and with all their strength. So now, my son, leave Nineveh; do not remain here. 10 On whatever day you bury your mother beside me, do not stay overnight within the confines of the city. For I see that there is much wickedness within it, and that much deceit is practiced within it, while the people are without shame. See, my son, what Nadab did to Ahikar who had reared him. Was he not, while still alive, brought down into the earth? For God repaid him to his face for this shameful treatment. Ahikar came out into the light, but Nadab went into the eternal darkness, because he tried to kill Ahikar. Because he gave alms, Ahikar[e] escaped the fatal trap that Nadab had set for him, but Nadab fell into it himself, and was destroyed. 11 So now, my children, see what almsgiving accomplishes, and what injustice does—it brings death! But now my breath fails me.”
Death of Tobit and Anna
Then they laid him on his bed, and he died; and he received an honorable funeral. 12 When Tobias’s mother died, he buried her beside his father. Then he and his wife and children[f] returned to Media and settled in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. 13 He treated his parents-in-law[g] with great respect in their old age, and buried them in Ecbatana of Media. He inherited both the property of Raguel and that of his father Tobit. 14 He died highly respected at the age of one hundred seventeen[h] years. 15 Before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, and he saw its prisoners being led into Media, those whom King Cyaxares[j] of Media had taken captive. Tobias[k] praised God for all he had done to the people of Nineveh and Assyria; before he died he rejoiced over Nineveh, and he blessed the Lord God forever and ever. Amen.[l]
Footnotes:
Tobit 14:2 Gk He
Tobit 14:2 Other ancient authorities read fifty-eight
Tobit 14:3 Lat: Gk lacks and the seven sons of Tobias
Tobit 14:4 Lat: Other ancient authorities read of God will be in distress and will be burned for a while
Tobit 14:10 Gk he; other ancient authorities read Manasses
Tobit 14:12 Codex Sinaiticus lacks and children
Tobit 14:13 Gk them
Tobit 14:14 Other authorities read other numbers
Tobit 14:15 Codex Sinaiticus reads saw and heard
Tobit 14:15 Cn: Codex Sinaiticus Ahikar; other ancient authorities read Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus
Tobit 14:15 Gk He
Tobit 14:15 Other ancient authorities lack Amen
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Thanks dakk