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And Tobit called his son Tobias, and said to him, “See, my child, that the man which went with you have his wages, and you must give him more.”
Verse 1. What. Greek Hebrew and Syr. Calmet. “See thou give the man who has come with thee his hire, and something must be added to it;” ( Bible.) as he had promised (Calmet. 7:19) a drachm a day, ( Calmet.) and more if they returned safe. Bible.
And he said to him, “Father, it is no harm to me to give him the half of those things which I have brought;
Verse 2. Said. Greek “Father, I shall not be hurt if I give him half of what I have brought, since he has conducted me safe back to thee, and has healed my wife, and brought my money, and likewise has cured thee. And the old man said, he justly deserves it. And he called the angel, and said to him, Take half of what you have brought, and depart in health. Then,” verse 6.
for he has led me for you in safety, and he cured my wife, and brought my money, and likewise cured you.”
The old man said, “It is due to him.”
And he called the angel, and said to him, “Take half of all that you have brought.”
Then he called them both privately, and said to them, “Bless God, and give him thanks, and magnify him, and give him thanks in the sight of all that live, for the things which he has done with you. It is good to bless God and exalt his name, showing forth with honor the works of God. Don’t be slack to give him thanks.
Verse 6. Said. Greek “Calling the two, in private, he said to them.”
It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God. Do good, and evil won’t find you.
Verse 7. Hide. Greek “To bless God, and to extol his name, exposing with honour the words of God, and delay not to confess unto him. For,” and so forth Bible.—The Old Vulg. greatly abridges the remainder of this book, having only, “Then Raphael having called the two Tobies, said to them, Since thou hast not delayed to arise, and to leave thy meals to bury the dead, I have been sent to try thee to heal thee, and to deliver thy daughter-in-law. I am Raphael, one of the angels who assist and appear before the brightness of God. Hereupon the two Tobies were startled, and fell prostrate on the ground, and were seized with fear. And Raphael said, Fear not, Peace be with you. Bless the Lord all the days of your life, and sing his praises. You thought that I eat when I was at table with you. But you saw with your eyes; ( Bible. only a vision. Calmet.) wherefore bless the Lord upon the earth, and praise his goodness. As for me, I return to him who sent me. Write down all that has happened. The angel having spoken thus to Tobias, the latter wrote this prayer as a monument of his joy, and said, Blessed be the Lord, who is great in eternity, because his reign endures for ever. It is He who strikes, and who shews I mercy, who conducts to the grave, and who, by his majesty, rescues from the greatest miseries; and no one can withdraw himself from his hands. End of Tobias the just.” Bible.—King. Secrecy is the soul of human councils, to prevent an enemy from thwarting our designs: but nothing can withstand the divine power. It is therefore proper to testify our gratitude for favours received, as the ancient saints have done by their canticles. Calmet.
Good is prayer with fasting, alms, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold.
Verse 8. Alms. Greek adds, “and justice. Better is a little with justice, than much with iniquity.” Bible.—Fasting and alms are like the wings of prayer. Worthington. See Calmet. 4:11.
Alms delivers from death, and it purges away all sin. Those who give alms and do righteousness will be filled with life;
Verse 9. Everlasting. This word is not found in Greek, though sufficiently implied; as liberality does not always secure a person’s life, or temporal happiness. Calmet.—Greek “Those who perform alms-deeds and justice, shall be filled with life. But sinners are enemies,” and so forth
but those who sin are enemies to their own life.
Verse 10. Soul. If this were understood of the present life, nothing could be less accurate, as the wicked often prosper. See Psalms 10:6. John 12:25. Calmet.
Surely I will conceal nothing from you. I have said, ‘It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God.’
Verse 11. I. Greek “I will not hide from you any word or thing. I said then, It is good to conceal the mystery of the king, but glorious to manifest the works of God. And now, when thou and thy daughter-in-law, Sarra, did pray, I brought forward the memorial of your prayer before the holy one.” Bible.—The angels are represented as God’s ministers, offering our prayers to him. Revelation 8:3. Calmet. Saint Augustine Worthington.—Philo styles them ambassadors. Socrates says, “every demon (or good spirit) is between God and mortals.” Plutarch.—Inter homines cælicolasque, vectores hinc precum, inde donorum. Apuleius de Deo Socrat. Calmet.—Greek continues, “and when thou didst bury the dead, in like manner, I was present with thee; when thou didst not delay to rise and leave thy dinner, that going thou mightest cover the dead; in thy good work, thou wast not hidden from me: but I was with thee. And,” and so forth verse 14. Bible.
And now, when you prayed, and Sarah your daughter-in-law, I brought the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One. When you buried the dead, I was with you likewise.
And when you didn’t delay to rise up, and leave your dinner, that you might go and cover the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me. I was with you.
Verse 13. Thee. This rule is invariable, that the good may advance in virtue, and set a pattern to the world, (Hebrews 2:18 and 12:6. Acts 14:21. Calmet.) and cancel their smallest faults.
And now God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law.
Verse 14. From the devil, is not in Greek. Bible.—In this history, as well as in other parts of Scripture, we have convincing proofs of the good which each one receives from his angel guardian, and from the other blessed spirits. See Saint Luke 15 and 16. Saint John Chrysostom in col. hom. 3. Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. xi. 31. and so forth Worthington.
I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels which present the prayers of the saints and go in before the glory of the Holy One.”
Verse 15. Raphael. We know also the names of Michael and Gabriel. All others are apocryphal; such as Uriel, Saltiel, Jeadriel Barachiel, and so forth—Seven. This number is clearly specified by Saint John, Revelation 1:4. A mass in their honour was approved by Pius IV. It is supposed that the seven deacons in the Church of Rome, and of Jerusalem, were instituted in imitation of them. The kings, Assuerus, and so forth had seven chief officers. Esther 1:10. Calmet.—Lord, ready to fulfil his orders, as innumerable other angels, of inferior degree, are likewise. Menochius. Daniel 7:10.—These were the princes of the heavenly court. S. Jerom (con. Jovin.) admits only seven orders of angels. Calmet.—Greek “I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who offer up the prayers of the saints, and go out before the glory of the Holy One. And they were both troubled,” and so forth ( Bible.) at so unusual a thing, ( Menochius.) and filled with reverential awe. Bible.—They might also suspect that death would shortly follow. Calmet. Genesis 16:13.
And they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces; for they were afraid.
And he said to them, “Don’t be afraid. You will all have peace; but bless God forever.
Verse 17. Be. Greek “shall be with you. But praise God: for I came not of my own accord, but by the will of our God. Wherefore praise him for ever.”
For I came not of any favor of my own, but by the will of your God. Therefore bless him forever.
All these days I appeared to you. I didn’t eat or drink, but you all saw a vision.
Verse 19. I. Greek “I appeared to you all the days; yet I did not eat nor drink. But you beheld a vision.” Bible.—Having an aerial body, he made the provisions disappear, as the sun melts snow. Genesis 18:9. Calmet.—He might swallow, though he had no need of meat, (Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. xiii. 22.) or digestion, (Grotius) so as to convert it into his substance. Menochius.—Men. I constantly enjoy the beatific vision. Matthew 18:10. Calmet.
Now give God thanks, because I ascend to him who sent me. Write in a book all the things which have been done.”
Verse 20. It. Greek “And now confess to God, because I ascend to him who sent me. Write ye all these occurrences in a book. And they arose, and beheld him no longer; and they proclaimed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.” Bible.—Almost all interpreters infer from this injunction, ( Calmet.) that the work before us was originally composed by these holy men. Bible.
Then they rose up, and saw him no more.
They confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.