The author makes these points by means of a worldview in which visible and invisible realms interpenetrate. Readers are allowed to see activity in both realms and can also empathize with the real-life characters, who are oblivious to God’s beneficent presence and activity.
Tobit appropriates and modifies elements in the religious traditions that were then becoming Israel’s scripture. Details in the narrative recall the patriarchal stories of Genesis (Sarah’s altercation with Hagar, Gen 21; Eliezer’s journey for Isaac’s bride, Gen 24). Tobit’s piety is based on commandments and injunctions in the Torah and a wisdom tradition (attested also in Sirach) spun out of the Torah. The books of the prophets, especially Second and Third Isaiah (Isa 40–66), are considered reliable forecasts of God’s future for the nation. Events and themes in chs. 1–2 echo the Mesopotamian court tales preserved in Dan 1–6 as well as the pagan story of Ahikar, which Jews and Christians adopted as their own. With its demons and archangels, its view of divine sovereignty and predestination, and its appeal to the future revelation of God’s justice, Tobit’s narrative also employs motifs and devices at home in apocalypses like Daniel and 1 Enoch.
A Window into a Social World
BECAUSE IT IS A NARRATIVE about real-life characters rather than an apocalypse, the book offers a window into its author’s world and some of its customs relating to family life, marriage, burial, the eating of meals, relationships between parents and children, inequalities between the sexes, elements of religious ritual, and the obligations of the rich to the poor.
Literary Aspects
THE COMPLEXITY OF TOBIT is most obvious in its use of literary genres and themes. As a whole it is a fictional narrative about life in biblical times. It differs from its sketchier narrative counterparts in the Bible in that its characters are developed with some attention to the complexity of their emotions and motivations. Narrative tension is maintained as scenes alternate between Nineveh and Ecbatana. An element of humor that runs through the story holds readers’ attention and reminds them that there is a fine line between the sublime and the ridiculous. The narrative is nuanced by its use of other genres familiar from biblical and related literature: prayers and hymns, an account of the appearance of a divine being (epiphany), two testaments containing proverbial wisdom, and a prediction of future events similar to historical apocalypses. These genres enrich the narrative and embody elements from the author’s social, intellectual, and religious worlds.
Complicating an assessment of this sophisticated piece of literature are a few narrative details that suggest knowledge of Homer’s Odyssey and some folkloric motifs found elsewhere in ancient tales about the “dangerous bride” and the “grateful dead.” These folkloric elements, including a playful touch of magic, stand in tension with the story’s theological reflections and the intellectual strains of its wisdom tradition. The mix reminds one that this story about a wealthy member of the royal court is also about ordinary people—their experiences and expectations, woes and worries, superstitions and naïveté. In this complexity and the artistry with which it is presented lies the story’s appeal.
Date, Place of Origin, and Language
THE MANY HISTORICAL INACCURACIES in the story indicate that it is a pseudonymous text written long after the time it portrays. The date of its composition is limited by its mention of the rebuilding of the temple (515 BCE) and its omission of any reference to the persecution of the Jews under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (168 BCE). Tobit was most likely composed between the mid-third century and early second century BCE.
The diaspora setting of the story, which underlies its many concerns about interactions between Israelites and Gentiles, suggests that it was written either in the Diaspora or in a predominantly gentile setting.
Tobit was composed in a Semitic language. Textual fragments of one Hebrew and four Aramaic manuscripts were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The story in its entirety has been preserved in manuscripts of the Greek OT.
Function
THE STORY’S USE OF WISDOM GENRES and its repeated assertions that God acts for good even in adverse circumstances indicate that the author wishes to encourage readers to trust in and hope for God’s mercy in their personal lives, in the gathering of the Jewish people from the Diaspora, and in the realization of God’s reign over all humanity. [GEORGE W. E. NICKELSBURG]
Tobit 1
1This 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 descendantsa of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali, 2who in the days of King Shalmaneserb 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
3I, 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. 4When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was still a young man, the whole tribe of my ancestor Naphtali deserted the house of David and Jerusalem. This city had been chosen from among all the tribes of Israel, where all the tribes of Israel should offer sacrifice and where the temple, the dwelling of God, had been consecrated and established for all generations forever.
5All my kindred and our ancestral house of Naphtali sacrificed to the calfc that King Jeroboam of Israel had erected in Dan and on all the mountains of Galilee. 6But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the festivals, as it is prescribed for all Israel by an everlasting decree. I would hurry off to Jerusalem with the first fruits of the crops and the firstlings of the flock, the tithes of the cattle, and the first shearings of the sheep. 7I would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar; likewise the tenth of the grain, wine, olive oil, pomegranates, figs, and the rest of the fruits to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem. Also for six years I would save up a second tenth in money and go and distribute it in Jerusalem. 8A third tenthd I would give to the orphans and widows and to the converts who had attached themselves to Israel. I would bring it and give it to them in the third year, and we would eat it according to the ordinance decreed concerning it in the law of Moses and according to the instructions of Deborah, the mother of my father Tobiel,e for my father had died and left me an orphan. 9When I became a man I married a woman,f a member of our own family, and by her I became the father of a son whom I named Tobias.
Taken Captive to Nineveh
10After I was carried away captive to Assyria and came as a captive to Nineveh, everyone of my kindred and my people ate the food of the Gentiles, 11but I kept myself from eating the food of the Gentiles. 12Because I was mindful of God with all my heart, 13the Most High gave me favor and good standing with Shalmaneser,g and I used to buy everything he needed. 14Until his death I used to go into Media, and buy for him there. While in the country of Media I left bags of silver worth ten talents in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabri. 15But when Shalmaneserh died, and his son Sennacherib reigned in his place, the highways into Media became unsafe and I could no longer go there.
Courage in Burying the Dead
16In the days of Shalmaneseri I performed many acts of charity to my kindred, those of my tribe. 17I would give my food to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw the dead body of any of my people thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury it. 18I also buried any whom King Sennacherib put to death when he came fleeing from Judea in those days of judgment that the king of heaven executed upon him because of his blasphemies. For in his anger he put to death many Israelites; but I would secretly remove the bodies and bury them. So when Sennacherib looked for them he could not find them. 19Then one of the Ninevites went and informed the king about me, that I was burying them; so I hid myself. But when I realized that the king knew about me and that I was being searched for to be put to death, I was afraid and ran away. 20Then all my property was confiscated; nothing was
left to me that was not taken into the royal treasury except my wife Anna and my son Tobias.
21But not fortyj days passed before two of Sennacherib’sk sons killed him, and they fled to the mountains of Ararat, and his son Esar-haddonl reigned after him. He appointed Ahikar, the son of my brother Hanaelm over all the accounts of his kingdom, and he had authority over the entire administration. 22Ahikar interceded for me, and I returned to Nineveh. Now Ahikar was chief cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of administration of the accounts under King Sennacherib of Assyria; so Esar-haddonn reappointed him. He was my nephew and so a close relative.
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a Other ancient authorities lack of Raphael son of Raguel of the descendants
b Gk Enemessaros
c Other ancient authorities read heifer
d A third tenth added from other ancient authorities
e Lat: Gk Hananiel
f Other ancient authorities add Anna
g Gk Enemessaros
h Gk Enemessaros
i Gk Enemessaros
j Other ancient authorities read either forty-five or fifty
k Gk his
l Gk Sacherdonos
m Other authorities read Hananael
n Gk Sacherdonos
1.1–2 This title provides the protagonist with a genealogy and place of origin. Cf. Zeph 1.1.
1.1 Tobit, the Greek form of the Hebrew Tobi (“my good”), which may be an abbreviation for Tobiah (“Yahweh is my good”), the name of Tobit’s son (Tobias in Greek), or Tobiel (“God is my good”), the name of Tobit’s father. The name is appropriate to the story.
1.2 Thisbe, Phogor, locations uncertain. Asher, probably Hazor.
1.3–9 Tobit is a faithful and righteous exception among his compatriots, who continue Jeroboam’s apostasy (1 Kings 12.25–33).
1.3 Israelite wisdom tradition describes human conduct as walking in the ways of truth and righteousness or in the ways of wrongdoing (4.5). The Northern Kingdom, Israel, was exiled to the land of the Assyrians in 732 BCE under Tiglath-Pileser III and 722 BCE under Sargon II.
1.4–5 Because God had chosen Jerusalem as the unique site for Israelite worship (Deut 12.5–7), Jeroboam’s sin was apostasy.
1.5 Dan lies eleven miles from Kedesh (v. 2), not far from Tobit’s home. It continued to be a site of religious activity long after the exile; cf. 1 Enoch 13.7–10, a text contemporary with the book of Tobit.
1.6–8 Tobit’s faithfulness to the Torah is evident in his festival pilgrimages to Jerusalem (Deut 16.16–17; cf. Lk 2.41) and his presentation to the priests of first fruits of the crops (Deut 26.1–11), firstlings (Ex 13.12), tithes of the cattle (Lev 27.32), first shearings (Deut 18.4), a tenth of his crops (Lev 27.30; Deut 14.22–23), a second tenth turned to money (Deut 14.25), and a third tenth, which he distributed to the orphans and widows and to the converts (Deut 14.28–29).
1.9 Endogamy, marriage to a member of one’s own family (not just to an Israelite), is a major concern in Tobit; see 4.12–13.
1.10–22 Tobit’s promotion in a Mesopotamian court, his persecution for pious acts, and his restoration echo Dan 1–6, Esther, and the story of Ahikar.
1.10 Nineveh, the Assyrian capital.
1.11–13 As in vv. 5–9, Tobit’s piety is exceptional. Like Daniel, he is rewarded for avoiding unclean food (Dan 1.8–20; Lev 11).
1.14 On Media as a site of Israelite settlement, cf. 2 Kings 17.6. The deposit of silver with Gabael is one of several providential events in the story and prepares the way for a major turn in the plot (4.1).
1.15 This section is marked by a number of historical inaccuracies. Shalmaneser V died during the siege of Samaria; his successors were his brothers Sargon II (not mentioned here or in 2 Kings 17) and Sennacherib (cf. vv. 18–20).
1.16–20 Tobit’s piety, like Daniel’s, leads to his persecution (see Dan 3; 6).
1.17 On the obligation to give…food to the hungry and…clothing to the naked, see 4.16; Mt 25.35–36.
1.18 Sennacherib invaded Judea (2 Kings 19.35–37) in 701 BCE, twenty years before his death (cf. forty days, v. 21). Exposure of bodies was a common means of showing contempt (cf. 1 Kings 21.24; 2 Kings 9.30–37; Ps 79.2–3). Burial of the dead is a major motif in Tobit (2.3–8; 4.3–4; 6.15; 8.12; 14.10–13).
1.19 Punishment for burying the king’s victims recalls Sophocles’ Antigone.
1.21 Ahikar, the protagonist in a popular Mesopotamian story preserved by Jews and Christians; however, it makes no mention of Tobit. Other details of the story are reflected in v. 22; 2.10; 11.18; 14.10.
Tobit 2
1Then during the reign of Esar-haddona 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. 2When 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,b and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back.” 3So 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.” 4Then I sprang up, left the dinner before even tasting it, and removed the bodyc from the squared and laid ite in one of the rooms until sunset when I might bury it.f 5When I returned, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. 6Then 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
7When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him. 8And 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!” 9That 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. 10I 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
11At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women’s work. 12She 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. 13When 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.” 14But 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
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a Gk Sacherdonos
b Lat: Gk wholeheartedly mindful
c Gk him
d Other ancient authorities lack from the square
e Gk him
f Gk him
g Other ancient authorities read against Bethlehem
h Or to you; Gk with you
2.1–10 Tobit’s pious concern for others–the poor and the unburied–again results in his suffering.
2.1 In addition to food laws (1.11), Tobit observes Israelite festivals, here the harvest
festival of Pentecost (Deut 16.10).
2.2 On the obligation to feed the poor, cf. Lk 14.12–24; 16.19–31. For Tobit the festival must be shared with one who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, as he is (1.12). Wholehearted love of and obedience to God is a cliché cf. Deut 30.2, 6; allusions to the Deuteronomic language in Bar 2.30–33; Jubilees 1.14–16.
2.4–9 The rationale for this sequence of events is unclear. Contact with a corpse rendered one impure (Num 19.11–19), which explains why Tobit sleeps in the courtyard; but why may he eat in his house?
2.6 The meal provides a setting in which Tobit can apply ironically to himself Am 8.10, “Your festivals…into lamentation,” an oracle against those who trample on the poor and take their grain.
2.9–10 How does the author understand the cause of Tobit’s blindness? Is it happenstance, or are the sparrows agents of a demon like Asmodeus (3.8; cf. Jubilees 11.11; Mk 4.4, 15)? In either case, the incident triggers the divinely directed scenario recounted through the rest of the story. Although Tobit and his family cannot predict the outcome, a providential God will dispose matters for them.
HarperCollins Study Bible Page 345