Tobit
Verse 1. Then, retiring, verse 25.—Tears. He manifests no degree of impatience. Calmet.
EXPLANATIONS
Tobit 3
Historical chapter commentary
Tobit
Verse 2. Judgment. Even in punishing, God remembers mercy, ( Bible.) and never fails to perform what he has promised.
Tobit
Verse 3. Parents, so as to punish me on their account. Menochius.—The Scripture frequently seems to indicate that this is the case; (Exodus 20:5) and the Church still prays, Remember not, O Lord, our offences, nor those of our parents. Calmet.—But children are only punished when they imitate the wicked conduct of their ancestors: they may be afflicted, though innocent, as their virtue will thus be tried, and shine more gloriously. Bible.—The pagans, being convinced that God can be guilty of no injustice, and perceiving that people who appeared to be free from sin were yet unhappy, concluded that they were explaining the sins committed in another world. Plotin. ii. 13. Origen, prin. iii. Calmet.—This might arise from a confused notion of original sin. Pascal’s Thoughts. Bible.
Tobit
Verse 6. Peace. Greek “that I may be dissolved, and return to the earth; (lit. become earth) because it is more advantageous for me to die than to live, since I have heard false reproaches, and am much grieved. Command that I may be freed from this necessity, to go to my eternal place.” Bible.
Tobit
Verse 7. Rages. In the Greek it is Ecbatana which was also called Rages. For there were two cities in Media of name of Rages: Raguel dwelt in one of them and Gabelus in the other. Challoner. Menochius.—Profane authors mention a Rages in the vicinity of Ecbatana. Diod. Bib. 19.—It may here denote the province. Worthington.
Tobit
Verse 8. Asmodeus, “the fire of Media.” Hebrew “king of the devils,” of that country, exciting people to lust, ( Menochius. Serar. q. 8.) and destroying them. Worthington.—Unto her. Greek and Hebrew intimate, when they first entered the nuptial chamber. Calmet. 6:14.
Tobit
Verse 9. Murder. Greek “Dost thou not understand that thou hast suffocated thy husbands. Thou has already had seven husbands, and has not received the name of any of them. Why dost thou strike us on their account? If they be dead, go along with them. May we,” and so forth Bible.
Tobit
Verse 10. At. Greek and Hebrew “Hearing these things she was much grieved, so as to be unable to breath; ( Bible. ωστε απαγξασθαι) or, on the point of strangling herself.” Grot. Calmet.—But this interpretation is groundless, (Houbigant) and very injurious to Sara. Bible.—She could not entertain the thought without sin. Yet the Jews had very relaxed notions on this head. Judges 16:30. 1 Kings 31:4. God approved the conduct of Sara. Calmet.—Greek continues, “and she said, I am the only daughter of my father. If I do this thing, (as the servants suggested) it will be a disgrace for him … and she prayed before the window; and said, Blessed,” verse 13. Bible.—There is no mention of the three days. Hebrew and Syr. also omit verse 16 to 24. Calmet.
Tobit
Verse 13. Name. Greek “Blessed art thou O Lord, my God, and blessed the name of thy glory, holy and glorious for ever. May all thy works praise thee for ever.” Bible.—As she prayed for a long time, the Vulg. gives some sentences; and the Greek and Hebrew others. Serar. Salien. Menochius.
Tobit
Verse 15. Earth. Holy men have thus desired to die, as was the case with Moses, Elias, Job, and Saint Paul provided God was willing. Menochius.
Tobit
Verse 16. Coveted, through impure love. Greek “I am pure from all the sin of a man, and I have not defiled my name, nor the name of my father, in the land of our captivity. I am only child,” and so forth Bible.—Lust: a very high ecomium; which Sara mentions without vanity, placing her confidence in God. Menochius. Proverbs 20:9.
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Verse 17. Play, lasciviously, ( Menochius.) or dance. Hugo. Exodus 32:1.
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Verse 21. Crowned. Jam. 1:12.—Delivered from falling, ( Menochius.) and in due time from affliction. Bible.
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Verse 25. Raphael, “the medicine of God.” He is invoked not only for health, but also in journeys. Calmet.—Both. Greek and Hebrew of Fagius add, “Tobit, by taking away the white film, and to give Sara … for a wife to Tobias … and to bind Asmodeus, the wicked devil; because Tobias was to have her. At the same hour, Tobit returning entered his own house, and Sara … descended from her upper room.” Bible.—Lord, by the angel. Acts 10. Revelation 5. Worthington.
Tobit
Greek demon.
Tobit
Greek Hades.
Tobit
Greek demon.