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Tobias |
 Tobias is a Jewish book of the Apocrypha preserved in two
Greek versions. The original language was Hebrew or
Aramaic, as in fragments of the book found at Qumran
among the Dead Sea fragments. It was probably
written in the 5th or 4th century B.C. perhaps in
Media.
It tells the story of the pious Tobias, an Israelite
of the tribe of Naphtali, taken in captivity to
Nineveh in Assyria. His piety and righteous deeds
bring him suffering. Having buried a dead man he
becomes impure and goes blind (2:7-10). He accuses
his wife Anna of theft, they quarrel, and Tobias
wishes to die. At the same time the righteous Sarah
prays for death because each of her previous seven
husbands has been killed by the demon Asmodeus on
their wedding night (3:7-8). Tobias's son, Tobias,
aided by the angel Raphael, drives away Asmodeus,
marries Sarah and restores Tobias' wealth and
eyesight. The idea that the righteous, even though
they may be first scourged, are eventually rewarded
by God, is reiterated several times (11:15; 13:2,
5). Tobias' pious and righteous behavior is rewarded
by the recovery of his money, the healing of his
blindness, the marriage of his son Tobias to Sarah
and the grandsons subsequently born.
Through the personal tragedies and blessings of
Tobias and Sarah, the author stresses God's concern
for his people (3:2-5, 16-17). As Tobias was scourged
and then enjoyed God's mercy, so "he will scourge us
for our iniquities, and will have mercy again, and
will gather us out of all nations, among whom he has
scattered us" (13:5). God shall restore the people
from their exile, rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem,
and all nations will fear God (14:5-6).
The book was included in the Septuagint and in the
Vulgate canon.
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