HarperCollins Study Bible
Page 348
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.’
7I 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.”
8And they both said, “Amen, Amen.” 9Then they went to sleep for the night.
But Raguel arose and called his servants to him, and they went and dug a grave, 10for he said, “It is possible that he will die and we will become an object of ridicule and derision.” 11When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel went into his house and called his wife, 12saying, “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.” 13So they sent the maid, lit a lamp, and opened the door; and she went in and found them sound asleep together. 14Then the maid came out and informed them that he was alive and that nothing was wrong. 15So they blessed the God of heaven, and Raguele said,
“Blessed are you, O God, with every pure blessing;
let all your chosen ones bless you.f
Let them bless you forever.
16Blessed 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.
17Blessed 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.”
18Then he ordered his servants to fill in the grave before daybreak.
Wedding Feast
19After 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. 20Then 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. 21Take 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 wifeh now and forever. Take courage, my child.”
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a Or fled through the air to the parts
b Gk they
c Gk her
d Gk He
e Gk they
f Other ancient authorities lack this line
g Other ancient authorities read Tobias and said to him
h Gk sister
8.1–18 For most of the characters in the story the tension is unbearable: will Tobias suffer the fate of his kinsmen and Sarah’s last hope be dashed? God, Raphael, and readers know better.
8.2–3 Tobias’s humorous fumigation ritual may reflect some actual ex-orcistic technique.
8.3 Binding is a technical term for incapacitating a demon (cf. Mt 22.13; 1 Enoch 10.4, also of Raphael).
8.5 The doxological character of Tobias’s and Sarah’s prayer, expressed in the repeated blessed and bless, contrasts with Raguel’s pessimism and ludicrous grave digging (vv. 9–11).
8.6 Tobias and Sarah appeal to God’s intention in creation (Gen 2.20).
8.15 When Raguel ascertains that Tobias is alive, he utters a blessing parallel to that of Tobias and Sarah (v. 5).
8.19–21 The apprehension felt during the meal of welcome is replaced by joy.
8.20 Raguel’s invitation to eat, drink, and cheer up his daughter contrasts with 7.10.
8.21 Raguel’s twofold take courage, spoken to Tobias, parallels Edna’s words to Sarah (7.16). I am…forever reads almost like a formula of adoption. Cf. 10.12.
Tobit 9
The Money Recovered
1Then 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. 4For you know that my father must be counting the days, and if I delay even one day I will upset him very much. 3You are witness to the oath Raguel has sworn, and I cannot violate his oath.”a 5So Raphael with the four servants and two camels went to Rages in Media and stayed with Gabael. Raphaelb gave him the bond and informed him that Tobit’s son Tobias had married and was inviting him to the wedding celebration. So Gabaelc got up and counted out to him the money bags, with their seals intact; then they loaded them on the camels.d 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,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.”
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a In other ancient authorities verse 3 precedes verse 4
b Gk He
c Gk he
d Other ancient authorities lack on the camels
e Gk him
9.6 Gabael is welcomed as a member of the family and his meeting with Tobias parallels the scene in 7.1–8.
Tobit 10
Anxiety of the Parents
1Now, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobiasa would need for going and for returning. And when the days had passed and his son did not appear, 2he said, “Is it possible that he has been detained? Or that Gabael has died, and there is no one to give him the money?” 3And he began to worry. 4His 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.” 6But Tobit kept saying to her, “Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear;b 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.” 7She 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.” 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.” 9But he said, “No! I beg you to send me back to my father.” 10So 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. 11Then he saw them safely off; he embraced Tobiase 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.” 12Then 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. 13Tobias 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
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a Gk he
b Gk sister
c Gk sister
d Other ancient authorities read and she would eat nothing
e Gk him
f Other ancient authorities lack parts of Then…mother-in-law
g Gk sister
h Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain
10.1–11.18 Tobias completes his journey, and Tobit’s healing solves the problem that led to the development of the plot.
10.1–7a In contrast to the joy of the wedding celebration, gloom pervades the Tobiad home. Unaware of events in Ecbatana, Tobit and Anna, last seen in 5.17–22, engage in an increasingly bitter dispute. Anna grieves and mourns over her son as if he were dead.
10.7b–13 This farewell scene between children and parents is a more extensive counterpart of 5.17. Family concerns govern the discourse.
10.7b–9 As in 6.15, Tobias expresses concern for his parents.
10.10 Sarah’s dowry is a down payment on the full inheritance of her family’s wealth, which Raphael has predicted (6.12).
10.12 Honor…your mother-in-law, a paraphrase of the fourth (fifth) commandment, parallels 4.3. They are…your parents parallels 8.21, where Tobias is accepted as the son of Raguel and Edna.
10.13 With an allusion to the fourth (fifth) commandment, I have…my life, Tobias acknowledges that he is the son of Raguel and Edna.
Tobit 11
Homeward Journey
1When they came near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, Raphael said, 2“You are aware of how we left your father. 3Let us run ahead of your wife and prepare the house while they are still on the way.” 4As they went on together Raphaela said to him, “Have the gall ready.” And the dogb went along behind them.
5Meanwhile Anna sat looking intently down the road by which her son would come. 6When 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
7Raphael said to Tobias, before he had approached his father, “I know that his eyes will be opened. 8Smear 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.”
9Then 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. 10Then Tobit got up and came stumbling out through the courtyard door. Tobias went up to him, 11with 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, 12and it made them smart.c 13Next, with both his hands he peeled off the white films from the corners of his eyes. Then Tobitd saw his son ande threw his arms around him, 14and 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 blessedf
throughout all the ages.
15Though 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.
16Then 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. 17Before 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. 18Ahikar 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
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a Gk he
b Codex Sinaiticus reads And the Lord
c Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain
d Gk he
e Other ancient authorities lack saw his son and
f Codex Sinaiticus reads May his great name be upon us and blessed be all the angels
g Lat: Gk lacks this line
h Other ancient authorities lack parts of this sentence
11.1–6 Unlike the journey to Rages (6.1–9), the journey home is not described; the author focuses on the arrival in Nineveh and the events to come.
11.4 Tobias’s dog has been mentioned previously only in 6.2, at the beginning of the journey. The significance of this narrative device framing the journey account is obscure; however, the detail here is reminiscent of Odysseus’s dog’s recognition of its master upon his return (Odyssey 17.290–327). Cf. note on 5.4–17a on the journey of Telemachus and Athena. The Bible does not generally describe dogs as pets (but cf. Mk 7.27–28) and often portrays them as carnivorous scavengers.
11.7–15 The problem that triggered the plot is now resolved. The scene has some striking parallels (and echoes?) in Lk 15.20–24.
11.9 Anna’s speech momentarily delays the account of Tobit’s healing and maintains narrative tension. On her words, cf. Lk 2.29–30.
11.11–13 The cause and cure of Tobit’s blindness make some anatomical sense. Acid on the cornea can discolor its epithelium, which sometimes can be peeled off like a film. Cf. Acts 9.18. The healing has a miraculous element: fish gall is effective where physicians failed (2.10). Of course, that failure facilitated both the recovery of Tobit’s money and Tobias’s marriage.
11.14 Tobit’s ability to see the light of his eyes fulfills Raphael’s prediction that he will see the light (v. 8).
11.14–15 Like Tobias, Sarah, and Raguel before him (8.5–7, 15–17), Tobit appropriately breaks into a doxology, which is a foil to his earlier prayer of lament (3.2–6). Cf. the contrast between the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews. Tobit’s reference to God’s holy angels is to the point, though he does not know this.
11.15 The word pair afflicted (lit. “scourged”) / had mercy recurs in 13.2, 5 with reference to Israel. These are technical terms for the manner in which God deals with the righteous. God will judge the wicked (or the nations) with full fury; in contrast, God scourges, chastises, or disciplines the righteous (or Israel), so that when they repent they will be shown mercy. Cf. 2 Macc 6.12–16; Psalms of Solomon 3, 13.
11.16–17 Elements in this scene—visible evidence of the cure, the people’s amazement, and Tobit’s acknowledgment of God’s activity—recur in the later miracle stories in the Gospels.
11.17 Tobit now meets the wife he had hoped Tobias would find (4.12–13). The reference to the Jews (Judeans) is odd in a document about a Northern family in exile in Assyria, but note the close identification with Jerusalem in 1.3–7 and ch. 13.
Tobit 12
Raphael’s Wages
1When 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.” 2He replied, “Father, how much sha
ll I pay him? It would do no harm to give him half of the possessions brought back with me. 3For 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?” 4Tobit said, “He deserves, my child, to receive half of all that he brought back.” 5So Tobiasa called him and said, “Take for your wages half of all that you brought back, and farewell.”
Raphael’s Exhortation
6Then Raphaelb 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 deedsc of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. 7It 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. 8Prayer with fastingd 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. 9For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, 10but 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.’ 12So now when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and readf the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you would bury the dead. 13And that time when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead, 14I was sent to you to test you. And at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. 15I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.”