{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/apo/tob.htm","path":"chr/apo/tob.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/tob.htm","text":"Tob 1\nThe book of the words of Tobit, son of Tobiel, the son of\nAnaniel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of\nAsael, of the tribe of Nephthali;\n2\nWho in the time of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was led\ncaptive out of Thisbe, which is at the right hand of that city,\nwhich is called properly Nephthali in Galilee above Aser.\n3\nI Tobit have walked all the days of my life in the ways of\ntruth and justice, and I did many almsdeeds to my brethren, and\nmy nation, who came with me to Nineve, into the land of the\nAssyrians.\n4\nAnd when I was in mine own country, in the land of Israel\nbeing but young, all the tribe of Nephthali my father fell from\nthe house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes\nof Israel, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, where the\ntemple of the habitation of the most High was consecrated and\nbuilt for all ages.\n5\nNow all the tribes which together revolted, and the house of\nmy father Nephthali, sacrificed unto the heifer Baal.\n6\nBut I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it was\nordained unto all the people of Israel by an everlasting decree,\nhaving the firstfruits and tenths of increase, with that which\nwas first shorn; and them gave I at the altar to the priests the\nchildren of Aaron.\n7\nThe first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of\nAaron, who ministered at Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold\naway, and went, and spent it every year at Jerusalem:\n8\nAnd the third I gave unto them to whom it was meet, as Debora\nmy father's mother had commanded me, because I was left an\norphan by my father.\n9\nFurthermore, when I was come to the age of a man, I married\nAnna of mine own kindred, and of her I begat Tobias.\n10\nAnd when we were carried away captives to Nineve, all my\nbrethren and those that were of my kindred did eat of the bread\nof the Gentiles.\n11\nBut I kept myself from eating;\n12\nBecause I remembered God with all my heart.\n13\nAnd the most High gave me grace and favour before Enemessar,\nso that I was his purveyor.\n14\nAnd I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the\nbrother of Gabrias, at Rages a city of Media ten talents of\nsilver.\n15\nNow when Enemessar was dead, Sennacherib his son reigned in\nhis stead; whose estate was troubled, that I could not go into\nMedia.\n16\nAnd in the time of Enemessar I gave many alms to my brethren,\nand gave my bread to the hungry,\n17\nAnd my clothes to the naked: and if I saw any of my nation\ndead, or cast about the walls of Nineve, I buried him.\n18\nAnd if the king Sennacherib had slain any, when he was come,\nand fled from Judea, I buried them privily; for in his wrath he\nkilled many; but the bodies were not found, when they were\nsought for of the king.\n19\nAnd when one of the Ninevites went and complained of me to\nthe king, that I buried them, and hid myself; understanding that\nI was sought for to be put to death, I withdrew myself for fear.\n20\nThen all my goods were forcibly taken away, neither was there\nany thing left me, beside my wife Anna and my son Tobias.\n21\nAnd there passed not five and fifty days, before two of his\nsons killed him, and they fled into the mountains of Ararath;\nand Sarchedonus his son reigned in his stead; who appointed over\nhis father's accounts, and over all his affairs, Achiacharus my\nbrother Anael's son.\n22\nAnd Achiacharus intreating for me, I returned to Nineve. Now\nAchiacharus was cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and\nsteward, and overseer of the accounts: and Sarchedonus appointed\nhim next unto him: and he was my brother's son.\nTob 2\nNow when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored\nunto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is\nthe holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner\nprepared me, in the which I sat down to eat.\n2\nAnd when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and\nbring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren,\nwho is mindful of the Lord; and, lo, I tarry for thee.\n3\nBut he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is\nstrangled, and is cast out in the marketplace.\n4\nThen before I had tasted of any meat, I started up, and took\nhim up into a room until the going down of the sun.\n5\nThen I returned, and washed myself, and ate my meat in\nheaviness,\n6\nRemembering that prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts\nshall be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into\nlamentation.\n7\nTherefore I wept: and after the going down of the sun I went\nand made a grave, and buried him.\n8\nBut my neighbours mocked me, and said, This man is not yet\nafraid to be put to death for this matter: who fled away; and\nyet, lo, he burieth the dead again.\n9\nThe same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by\nthe wall of my courtyard, being polluted and my face was\nuncovered:\n10\nAnd I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine\neyes being open, the sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes,\nand a whiteness came in mine eyes: and I went to the physicians,\nbut they helped me not: moreover Achiacharus did nourish me,\nuntil I went into Elymais.\n11\nAnd my wife Anna did take women's works to do.\n12\nAnd when she had sent them home to the owners, they paid her\nwages, and gave her also besides a kid.\n13\nAnd when it was in my house, and began to cry, I said unto\nher, From whence is this kid? is it not stolen? render it to the\nowners; for it is not lawful to eat any thing that is stolen.\n14\nBut she replied upon me, It was given for a gift more than\nthe wages. Howbeit I did not believe her, but bade her render it\nto the owners: and I was abashed at her. But she replied upon\nme, Where are thine alms and thy righteous deeds? behold, thou\nand all thy works are known.\nTob 3\nThen I being grieved did weep, and in my sorrow prayed,\nsaying,\n2\nO Lord, thou art just, and all thy works and all thy ways are\nmercy and truth, and thou judgest truly and justly for ever.\n3\nRemember me, and look on me, punish me not for my sins and\nignorances, and the sins of mg fathers, who have sinned before\nthee:\n4\nFor they obeyed not thy commandments: wherefore thou hast\ndelivered us for a spoil, and unto captivity, and unto death,\nand for a proverb of reproach to all the nations among whom we\nare dispersed.\n5\nAnd now thy judgments are many and true: deal with me\naccording to my sins and my fathers': because we have not kept\nthy commandments, neither have walked in truth before thee.\n6\nNow therefore deal with me as seemeth best unto thee, and\ncommand my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be dissolved,\nand become earth: for it is profitable for me to die rather than\nto live, because I have heard false reproaches, and have much\nsorrow: command therefore that I may now be delivered out of\nthis distress, and go into the everlasting place: turn not thy\nface away from me.\n7\nIt came to pass the same day, that in Ecbatane a city of\nMedia Sara the daughter of Raguel was also reproached by her\nfather's maids;\n8\nBecause that she had been married to seven husbands, whom\nAsmodeus the evil spirit had killed, before they had lain with\nher. Dost thou not know, said they, that thou hast strangled\nthine husbands? thou hast had already seven husbands, neither\nwast thou named after any of them.\n9\nWherefore dost thou beat us for them? if they be dead, go thy\nways after them, let us never see of thee either son or\ndaughter.\n10\nWhe she heard these things, she was very sorrowful, so that\nshe thought to have strangled herself; and she said, I am the\nonly daughter of my father, and if I do this, it shall be a\nreproach unto him, and I shall bring his old age with sorrow\nunto the grave.\n11\nThen she prayed toward the window, and said, Blessed art\nthou, O Lord my God, and thine holy and glorious name is blessed\nand honourable for ever: let all thy works praise thee for\never.\n12\nAnd now, O Lord, I set I mine eyes and my face toward thee,\n13\nAnd say, Take me out of the earth, that I may hear no more\nthe reproach.\n14\nThou knowest, Lord, that I am pure from all sin with man,\n15\nAnd that I never polluted my name, nor the name of my father,\nin the land of my captivity: I am the only daughter of my\nfather, neither hath he any child to be his heir, neither any\nnear kinsman, nor any son of his alive, to whom I may keep\nmyself for a wife: my seven husbands are already dead; and why\nshould I live? but if it please not thee that I should die,\ncommand some regard to be had of me, and pity taken of me, that\nI hear no more reproach.\n16\nSo the prayers of them both were heard before the majesty of\nthe great God.\n17\nAnd Raphael was sent to heal them both, that is, to scale\naway the whiteness of Tobit's eyes, and to give Sara the\ndaughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit; and to\nbind Asmodeus the evil spirit; because she belonged to Tobias by\nright of inheritance. The selfsame time came Tobit home, and\nentered into his house, and Sara the daughter of Raguel came\ndown from her upper chamber.\nTob 4\nIn that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed\nto Gabael in Rages of Media,\n2\nAnd said with himself, I have wished for death; wherefore do\nI not call for my son Tobias that I may signify to him of the\nmoney before I die?\n3\nAnd when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead,\nbury me; and despise not thy mother, but honour her all the days\nof thy life, and do that which shall please her, and grieve her\nnot.\n4\nRemember, my son, that she saw many dangers for thee, when\nthou wast in her womb: and when she is dead, bury her by me in\none grave.\n5\nMy son, be mindful of the Lord our God all thy days, and let\nnot thy will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments:\ndo uprightly all thy life long, and follow not the ways of\nunrighteousness.\n6\nFor if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed\nto thee, and to all them that live justly.\n7\nGive alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let\nnot thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor,\nand the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.\n8\nIf thou hast abundance give alms accordingly: if thou have\nbut a little, be not afraid to give according to that little:\n9\nFor thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the\nday of necessity.\n10\nBecause that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to\ncome into darkness.\n11\nFor alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of\nthe most High.\n12\nBeware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of\nthe seed of thy fathers, and take not a strange woman to wife,\nwhich is not of thy father's tribe: for we are the children of\nthe prophets, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: remember, my son,\nthat our fathers from the beginning, even that they all married\nwives of their own kindred, and were blessed in their children,\nand their seed shall inherit the land.\n13\nNow therefore, my son, love thy brethren, and despise not in\nthy heart thy brethren, the sons and daughters of thy people, in\nnot taking a wife of them: for in pride is destruction and much\ntrouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness\nis the mother of famine.\n14\nLet not the wages of any man, which hath wrought for thee,\ntarry with thee, but give him it out of hand: for if thou serve\nGod, he will also repay thee: be circumspect my son, in all\nthings thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.\n15\nDo that to no man which thou hatest: drink not wine to make\nthee drunken: neither let drunkenness go with thee in thy\njourney.\n16\nGive of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them\nthat are naked; and according to thine abundance give alms: and\nlet not thine eye be envious, when thou givest alms.\n17\nPour out thy bread on the burial of the just, but give\nnothing to the wicked.\n18\nAsk counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel\nthat is profitable.\n19\nBless the Lord thy God alway, and desire of him that thy ways\nmay be directed, and that all thy paths and counsels may\nprosper: for every nation hath not counsel; but the Lord himself\ngiveth all good things, and he humbleth whom he will, as he\nwill; now therefore, my son, remember my commandments, neither\nlet them be put out of thy mind.\n20\nAnd now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents\nto Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages in Media.\n21\nAnd fear not, my son, that we are made poor: for thou hast\nmuch wealth, if thou fear God, and depart from all sin, and do\nthat which is pleasing in his sight.\nTob 5\nTobias then answered and said, Father, I will do all things\nwhich thou hast commanded me:\n2\nBut how can I receive the money, seeing I know him not?\n3\nThen he gave him the handwriting, and said unto him, Seek\nthee a man which may go with thee, whiles I yet live, and I will\ngive him wages: and go and receive the money.\n4\nTherefore when he went to seek a man, he found Raphael that\nwas an angel.\n5\nBut he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me\nto Rages? and knowest thou those places well?\n6\nTo whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the\nway well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael.\n7\nThen Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my\nfather.\n8\nThen he said unto him, Go and tarry not. So he went in and\nsaid to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with\nme. Then he said, Call him unto me, that I may know of what\ntribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee.\n9\nSo he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one\nanother.\n10\nThen Tobit said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and\nfamily thou art.\n11\nTo whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or an\nhired man to go with thy son? Then Tobit said unto him, I would\nknow, brother, thy kindred and name.\n12\nThen he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, and\nof thy brethren.\n13\nThen Tobit said, Thou art welcome, brother; be not now angry\nwith me, because I have enquired to know thy tribe and thy\nfamily; for thou art my brother, of an honest and good stock:\nfor I know Ananias and Jonathas, sons of that great Samaias, as\nwe went together to Jerusalem to worship, and offered the\nfirstborn, and the tenths of the fruits; and they were not\nseduced with the error of our brethren: my brother, thou art of\na good stock.\n14\nBut tell me, what wages shall I give thee? wilt thou a drachm\na day, and things necessary, as to mine own son?\n15\nYea, moreover, if ye return safe, I will add something to thy\nwages.\n16\nSo they were well pleased. Then said he to Tobias, Prepare\nthyself for the journey, and God send you a good journey. And\nwhen his son had prepared all things far the journey, his father\nsaid, Go thou with this man, and God, which dwelleth in heaven,\nprosper your journey, and the angel of God keep you company. So\nthey went forth both, and the young man's dog with them.\n17\nBut Anna his mother wept, and said to Tobit, Why hast thou\nsent away our son? is he not the staff of our hand, in going in\nand out before us?\n18\nBe not greedy to add money to money: but let it be as refuse\nin respect of our child.\n19\nFor that which the Lord hath given us to live with doth\nsuffice us.\n20\nThen said Tobit to her, Take no care, my sister; he shall\nreturn in safety, and thine eyes shall see him.\n21\nFor the good angel will keep him company, and his journey\nshall be prosperous, and he shall return safe.\n22\nThen she made an end of weeping.\nTob 6\nAnd as they went on their journey, they came in the evening\nto the river Tigris, and they lodged there.\n2\nAnd when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish\nleaped out of the river, and would have devoured him.\n3\nThen the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young\nman laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land.\n4\nTo whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and\nthe liver and the gall, and put them up safely.\n5\nSo the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when\nthey had roasted the fish, they did eat it: then they both went\non their way, till they drew near to Ecbatane.\n6\nThen the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to\nwhat use is the heart and the liver and the gal of the fish?\n7\nAnd he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a\ndevil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke\nthereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no\nmore vexed.\n8\nAs for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath\nwhiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.\n9\nAnd when they were come near to Rages,\n10\nThe angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall\nlodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath one only\ndaughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she may be\ngiven thee for a wife.\n11\nFor to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only\nart of her kindred.\n12\nAnd the maid is fair and wise: now therefore hear me, and I\nwill speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will\ncelebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel cannot marry her\nto another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty\nof death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain\nto thee than to any other.\n13\nThen the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother\nAzarias that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all\ndied in the marriage chamber.\n14\nAnd now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest\nif I go in unto her, I die, as the other before: for a wicked\nspirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, but those which come\nunto her; wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring my\nfather's and my mother's life because of me to the grave with\nsorrow: for they have no other son to bury them.\n15\nThen the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the\nprecepts which thy father gave thee, that thou shouldest marry a\nwife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me, O my brother; for\nshe shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of\nthe evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in\nmarriage.\n16\nAnd when thou shalt come into the marriage chamber, thou\nshalt take the ashes of perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of\nthe heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke with it:\n17\nAnd the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come\nagain any more: but when thou shalt come to her, rise up both of\nyou, and pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on\nyou, and save you: fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from\nthe beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go\nwith thee. Moreover I suppose that she shall bear thee children.\nNow when Tobias had heard these things, he loved her, and his\nheart was effectually joined to her.\nTob 7\nAnd when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house\nof Raguel, and Sara met them: and after they had saluted one\nanother, she brought them into the house.\n2\nThen said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man\nto Tobit my cousin!\n3\nAnd Raguel asked them, From whence are ye, brethren? To whom\nthey said, We are of the sons of Nephthalim, which are captives\nin Nineve.\n4\nThen he said to them, Do ye know Tobit our kinsman? And they\nsaid, We know him. Then said he, Is he in good health?\n5\nAnd they said, He is both alive, and in good health: and\nTobias said, He is my father.\n6\nThen Raguel leaped up, and kissed him, and wept,\n7\nAnd blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art the son of an\nhonest and good man. But when he had heard that Tobit was blind,\nhe was sorrowful, and wept.\n8\nAnd likewise Edna his wife and Sara his daughter wept.\nMoreover they entertained them cheerfully; and after that they\nhad killed a ram of the flock, they set store of meat on the\ntable. Then said Tobias to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of\nthose things of which thou didst talk in the way, and let this\nbusiness be dispatched.\n9\nSo he communicated the matter with Raguel: and Raguel said to\nTobias, Eat and drink, and make merry\nTob 7\nFor it is meet that thou shouldest marry my daughter:\nnevertheless I will declare unto thee the truth.\n11\nI have given my daughter in marriage te seven men, who died\nthat night they came in unto her: nevertheless for the present\nbe merry. But Tobias said, I will eat nothing here, till we\nagree and swear one to another.\n12\nRaguel said, Then take her from henceforth according to the\nmanner, for thou art her cousin, and she is thine, and the\nmerciful God give you good success in all things.\n13\nThen he called his daughter Sara, and she came to her father,\nand he took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobias,\nsaying, Behold, take her after the law of Moses, and lead her\naway to thy father. And he blessed them;\n14\nAnd called Edna his wife, and took paper, and did write an\ninstrument of covenants, and sealed it.\n15\nThen they began to eat.\n16\nAfter Raguel called his wife Edna, and said unto her, Sister,\nprepare another chamber, and bring her in thither.\n17\nWhich when she had done as he had bidden her, she brought her\nthither: and she wept, and she received the tears of her\ndaughter, and said unto her,\n18\nBe of good comfort, my daughter; the Lord of heaven and earth\ngive thee joy for this thy sorrow: be of good comfort, my\ndaughter.\nTob 8\nAnd when they had supped, they brought Tobias in unto her.\n2\nAnd as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took\nthe ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of\nthe fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith.\n3\nThe which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled\ninto the utmost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.\n4\nAnd after that they were both shut in together, Tobias rose\nout of the bed, and said, Sister, arise, and let us pray that\nGod would have pity on us.\n5\nThen began Tobias to say, Blessed art thou, O God of our\nfathers, and blessed is thy holy and glorious name for ever; let\nthe heavens bless thee, and all thy creatures.\n6\nThou madest Adam, and gavest him Eve his wife for an helper\nand stay: of them came mankind: thou hast said, It is not good\nthat man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto\nhimself.\n7\nAnd now, O Lord, I take not this my sister for lush but\nuprightly: therefore mercifully ordain that we may become aged\ntogether.\n8\nAnd she said with him, Amen.\n9\nSo they slept both that night. And Raguel arose, and went and\nmade a grave,\n10\nSaying, I fear lest he also be dead.\n11\nBut when Raguel was come into his house,\n12\nHe said unto his wife Edna. Send one of the maids, and let\nher see whether he be alive: if he be not, that we may bury him,\nand no man know it.\n13\nSo the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both\nasleep,\n14\nAnd came forth, and told them that he was alive.\n15\nThen Raguel praised God, and said, O God, thou art worthy to\nbe praised with all pure and holy praise; therefore let thy\nsaints praise thee with all thy creatures; and let all thine\nangels and thine elect praise thee for ever.\n16\nThou art to be praised, for thou hast made me joyful; and\nthat is not come to me which I suspected; but thou hast dealt\nwith us according to thy great mercy.\n17\nThou art to be praised because thou hast had mercy of two\nthat were the only begotten children of their fathers: grant\nthem mercy, O Lord, and finish their life in health with joy and\nmercy.\n18\nThen Raguel bade his servants to fill the grave.\n19\nAnd he kept the wedding feast fourteen days.\n20\nFor before the days of the marriage were finished, Raguel had\nsaid unto him by an oath, that he should not depart till the\nfourteen days of the marriage were expired;\n21\nAnd then he should take the half of his goods, and go in\nsafety to his father; and should have the rest when I and my\nwife be dead.\nTob 9\nThen Tobias called Raphael, and said unto him,\n2\nBrother Azarias, take with thee a servant, and two camels,\nand go to Rages of Media to Gabael, and bring me the money, and\nbring him to the wedding.\n3\nFor Raguel hath sworn that I shall not depart.\n4\nBut my father counteth the days; and if I tarry long, he will\nbe very sorry.\n5\nSo Raphael went out, and lodged with Gabael, and gave him the\nhandwriting: who brought forth bags which were sealed up, and\ngave them to him.\n6\nAnd early in the morning they went forth both together, and\ncame to the wedding: and Tobias blessed his wife.\nTob 10\nNow Tobit his father counted every day: and when the days of\nthe journey were expired, and they came not,\n2\nThen Tobit said, Are they detained? or is Gabael dead, and\nthere is no man to give him the money?\n3\nTherefore he was very sorry.\n4\nThen his wife said unto him, My son is dead, seeing he\nstayeth long; and she began to wail him, and said,\n5\nNow I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the\nlight of mine eyes.\n6\nTo whom Tobit said, Hold thy peace, take no care, for he is\nsafe.\n7\nBut she said, Hold thy peace, and deceive me not; my son is\ndead. And she went out every day into the way which they went,\nand did eat no meat on the daytime, and ceased not whole nights\nto bewail her son Tobias, until the fourteen days of the wedding\nwere expired, which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there.\nThen Tobias said to Raguel, Let me go, for my father and my\nmother look no more to see me.\n8\nBut his father in law said unto him, Tarry with me, and I\nwill send to thy father, and they shall declare unto him how\nthings go with thee.\n9\nBut Tobias said, No; but let me go to my father.\n10\nThen Raguel arose, and gave him Sara his wife, and half his\ngoods, servants, and cattle, and money:\n11\nAnd he blessed them, and sent them away, saying, The God of\nheaven give you a prosperous journey, my children.\n12\nAnd he said to his daughter, Honour thy father and thy mother\nin law, which are now thy parents, that I may hear good report\nof thee. And he kissed her. Edna also said to Tobias, The Lord\nof heaven restore thee, my dear brother, and grant that I may\nsee thy children of my daughter Sara before I die, that I may\nrejoice before the Lord: behold, I commit my daughter unto thee\nof special trust; where are do not entreat her evil.\nTob 11\nAfter these things Tobias went his way, praising God that he\nhad given him a prosperous journey, and blessed Raguel and Edna\nhis wife, and went on his way till they drew near unto Nineve.\n2\nThen Raphael said to Tobias, Thou knowest, brother, how thou\ndidst leave thy father:\n3\nLet us haste before thy wife, and prepare the house.\n4\nAnd take in thine hand the gall of the fish. So they went\ntheir way, and the dog went after them.\n5\nNow Anna sat looking about toward the way for her son.\n6\nAnd when she espied him coming, she said to his father,\nBehold, thy son cometh, and the man that went with him.\n7\nThen said Raphael, I know, Tobias, that thy father will open\nhis eyes.\n8\nTherefore anoint thou his eyes with the gall, and being\npricked therewith, he shall rub, and the whiteness shall fall\naway, and he shall see thee.\n9\nThen Anna ran forth, and fell upon the neck of her son, and\nsaid unto him, Seeing I have seen thee, my son, from henceforth\nI am content to die. And they wept both.\n10\nTobit also went forth toward the door, and stumbled\nson ran unto him,\nTob 11\nAnd took hold of his father: and he strake of the gall on his\nfathers' eyes, saying, Be of good hope, my father.\n12\nAnd when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them;\n13\nAnd the whiteness pilled away from the corners of his eyes:\nand when he saw his son, he fell upon his neck.\n14\nAnd he wept, and said, Blessed art thou, O God, and blessed\nis thy name for ever; and blessed are all thine holy angels:\n15\nFor thou hast scourged, and hast taken pity on me: for,\nbehold, I see my son Tobias. And his son went in rejoicing, and\ntold his father the great things that had happened to him in\nMedia.\n16\nThen Tobit went out to meet his daughter in law at the gate\nof Nineve, rejoicing and praising God: and they which saw him go\nmarvelled, because he had received his sight.\n17\nBut Tobias gave thanks before them, because God had mercy on\nhim. And when he came near to Sara his daughter in law, he\nblessed her, saying, Thou art welcome, daughter: God be blessed,\nwhich hath brought thee unto us, and blessed be thy father and\nthy mother. And there was joy among all his brethren which were\nat Nineve.\n18\nAnd Achiacharus, and Nasbas his brother's son, came:\n19\nAnd Tobias' wedding was kept seven days with great joy.\nTob 12\nThen Tobit called his son Tobias, and said unto him, My son,\nsee that the man have his wages, which went with thee, and thou\nmust give him more.\n2\nAnd Tobias said unto him, O father, it is no harm to me to\ngive him half of those things which I have brought:\n3\nFor he hath brought me again to thee in safety, and made\nwhole my wife, and brought me the money, and likewise healed\nthee.\n4\nThen the old man said, It is due unto him.\n5\nSo he called the angel, and he said unto him, Take half of\nall that ye have brought and go away in safety.\n6\nThen he took them both apart, and said unto them, Bless God,\npraise him, and magnify him, and praise him for the things which\nhe hath done unto you in the sight of all that live. It is good\nto praise God, and exalt his name, and honourably to shew forth\nthe works of God; therefore be not slack to praise him.\n7\nIt is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is\nhonourable to reveal the works of God. Do that which is good,\nand no evil shall touch you.\n8\nPrayer is good with fasting and alms and righteousness. A\nlittle with righteousness is better than much with\nunrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold:\n9\nFor alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all\nsin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled\nwith life:\n10\nBut they that sin are enemies to their own life.\n11\nSurely I will keep close nothing from you. For I said, It was\ngood to keep close the secret of a king, but that it was\nhonourable to reveal the works of God.\n12\nNow therefore, when thou didst pray, and Sara thy daughter in\nlaw, I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the Holy\nOne: and when thou didst bury the dead, I was with thee\nlikewise.\n13\nAnd when thou didst not delay to rise up, and leave thy\ndinner, to go and cover the dead, thy good deed was not hid from\nme: but I was with thee.\n14\nAnd now God hath sent me to heal thee and Sara thy daughter\nin law.\n15\nI am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the\nprayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory\nof the Holy One.\n16\nThen they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces: for\nthey feared.\n17\nBut he said unto them, Fear not, for it shall go well with\nyou; praise God therefore.\n18\nFor not of any favour of mine, but by the will of our God I\ncame; wherefore praise him for ever.\n19\nAll these days I did appear unto you; but I did neither eat\nnor drink, but ye did see a vision.\n20\nNow therefore give God thanks: for I go up to him that sent\nme; but write all things which are done in a book.\n21\nAnd when they arose, they saw him no more.\n22\nThen they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and\nhow the angel of the Lord had appeared unto them.\nTob 13\nThen Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, and said, Blessed be\nGod that liveth for ever, and blessed be his kingdom.\n2\nFor he doth scourge, and hath mercy: he leadeth down to hell,\nand bringeth up again: neither is there any that can avoid his\nhand.\n3\nConfess him before the Gentiles, ye children of Israel: for\nhe hath scattered us among them.\n4\nThere declare his greatness, and extol him before all the\nliving: for he is our Lord, and he is the God our Father for\never.\n5\nAnd he will scourge us for our iniquities, and will have\nmercy again, and will gather us out of all nations, among whom\nhe hath scattered us.\n6\nIf ye turn to him with your whole heart, and with your whole\nmind, and deal uprightly before him, then will he turn unto you,\nand will not hide his face from you. Therefore see what he will\ndo with you, and confess him with your whole mouth, and praise\nthe Lord of might, and extol the everlasting King. In the land\nof my captivity do I praise him, and declare his might and\nmajesty to a sinful nation. O ye sinners, turn and do justice\nbefore him: who can tell if he will accept you, and have mercy\non you?\n7\nI will extol my God, and my soul shall praise the King of\nheaven, and shall rejoice in his greatness.\n8\nLet all men speak, and let all praise him for his\nrighteousness.\n9\nO Jerusalem, the holy city, he will scourge thee for thy\nchildren's works, and will have mercy again on the sons of the\nrighteous.\n10\nGive praise to the Lord, for he is good: and praise the\neverlasting King, that his tabernacle may be builded in thee\nagain with joy, and let him make joyful there in thee those that\nare captives, and love in thee for ever those that are\nmiserable.\n11\nMany nations shall come from far to the name of the Lord God\nwith gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven; all\ngenerations shall praise thee with great joy.\n12\nCursed are all they which hate thee, and blessed shall all be\nwhich love thee for ever.\n13\nRejoice and be glad for the children of the just: for they\nshall be gathered together, and shall bless the Lord of the\njust.\n14\nO blessed are they which love thee, for they shall rejoice in\nthy peace: blessed are they which have been sorrowful for all\nthy scourges; for they shall rejoice for thee, when they have\nseen all thy glory, and shall be glad for ever.\n15\nLet my soul bless God the great King.\n16\nFor Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires and emeralds,\nand precious stone: thy walls and towers and battlements with\npure gold.\n17\nAnd the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl and\ncarbuncle and stones of Ophir.\n18\nAnd all her streets shall say, Alleluia; and they shall\npraise him, saying, Blessed be God, which hath extolled it for\never.\nTob 14\nSo Tobit made an end of praising God.\n2\nAnd he was eight and fifty years old when he lost his sight,\nwhich was restored to him after eight years: and he gave alms,\nand he increased in the fear of the Lord God, and praised him.\n3\nAnd when he was very aged he called his son, and the sons of\nhis son, and said to him, My son, take thy children; for,\nbehold, I am aged, and am ready to depart out of this life.\n4\nGo into Media my son, for I surely believe those things which\nJonas the prophet spake of Nineve, that it shall be overthrown;\nand that for a time peace shall rather be in Media; and that our\nbrethren shall lie scattered in the earth from that good land:\nand Jerusalem shall be desolate, and the house of God in it\nshall be burned, and shall be desolate for a time;\n5\nAnd that again God will have mercy on them, and bring them\nagain into the land, where they shall build a temple, but not\nlike to the first, until the time of that age be fulfilled; and\nafterward they shall return from all places of their captivity,\nand build up Jerusalem gloriously, and the house of God shall be\nbuilt in it for ever with a glorious building, as the prophets\nhave spoken thereof.\n6\nAnd all nations shall turn, and fear the Lord God truly, and\nshall bury their idols.\n7\nSo shall all nations praise the Lord, and his people shall\nconfess God, and the Lord shall exalt his people; and all those\nwhich love the Lord God in truth and justice shall rejoice,\nshewing mercy to our brethren.\n8\nAnd now, my son, depart out of Nineve, because that those\nthings which the prophet Jonas spake shall surely come to pass.\n9\nBut keep thou the law and the commandments, and shew thyself\nmerciful and just, that it may go well with thee.\n10\nAnd bury me decently, and thy mother with me; but tarry no\nlonger at Nineve. Remember, my son, how Aman handled Achiacharus\nthat brought him up, how out of light he brought him into\ndarkness, and how he rewarded him again: yet Achiacharus was\nsaved, but the other had his reward: for he went down into\ndarkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snares of death\nwhich they had set for him: but Aman fell into the snare, and\nperished.\n11\nWherefore now, my son, consider what alms doeth, and how\nrighteousness doth deliver. When he had said these things, he\ngave up the ghost in the bed, being an hundred and eight and\nfifty years old; and he buried him honourably.\n12\nAnd when Anna his mother was dead, he buried her with his\nfather. But Tobias departed with his wife and children to\nEcbatane to Raguel his father in law,\n13\nWhere he became old with honour, and he buried his father and\nmother in law honourably, and he inherited their substance, and\nhis father Tobit's.\n14\nAnd he died at Ecbatane in Media, being an hundred and seven\nand twenty years old.\n15\nBut before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve,\nwhich was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his\ndeath he rejoiced over Nineve.","title":"The Book of Tobit","type":"page"}