The Restored Book of Tobiya

The Restored Book of Tobiya (Tobit)

The book of the words of Tobiya, son of Tobi'El, the son of Ananiel, the son of
Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asael, of the tribe of Nephthali;
Who in the time of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was led captive out of Thisbe,
which is at the right hand of that city, which is called properly Nephthali in Galilee
above Aser.
I Tobiya have walked all the days of my life in the ways of truth and justice, and I did
many almsdeeds to my brethren, and my nation, who came with me to Nineve, into
the land of the Assyrians.
And when I was in mine own country, in the land of Yisra'el being but young, all the
tribe of Nephthali my father fell from the house of Yi'rusalem, which was chosen out
of all the tribes of Yisra'el, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, where the temple
of the habitation of the most High was consecrated and built for all ages.
Now all the tribes which together revolted, and the house of my father Nephthali,
sacrificed unto the heifer Baal.
But I alone went often to Yi'rusalem at the feasts, as it was ordained unto all the
people of Yisra'el by an everlasting decree, having the firstfruits and tenths of
increase, with that which was first shorn; and them gave I at the altar to the priests the
children of Aaron.
The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron, who ministered at
Yi'rusalem another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at
Yi'rusalem.
And the third I gave unto them to whom it was meet, as Debora my father's mother
had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father.
Furthermore, when I was come to the age of a man, I married Anna of mine own
kindred, and of her I begat Tobiyah.
And when we were carried away captives to Nineve, all my brethren and those that
were of my kindred did eat of the bread of the Gentiles.
But I kept myself from eating;

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Because I remembered Elohim with all my heart.
And the most High gave me grace and favour before Enemessar, so that I was his
purveyor.
And I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages
a city of Media ten talents of silver.
Now when Enemessar was dead, Sennacherib his son reigned in his stead; whose
estate was troubled, that I could not go into Media.
And in the time of Enemessar I gave many alms to my brethren, and gave my bread
to the hungry,
And my clothes to the naked and if I saw any of my nation dead, or cast about the
walls of Nineve, I buried him.
And if the king Sennacherib had slain any, when he was come, and fled from Judea, I
buried them privily; for in his wrath he killed many; but the bodies were not found,
when they were sought for of the king.
And when one of the Ninevites went and complained of me to the king, that I buried
them, and hid myself; understanding that I was sought for to be put to death, I
withdrew myself for fear.
Then all my goods were forcibly taken away, neither was there any thing left me,
beside my wife Anna and my son Tobiyah.
And there passed not five and fifty days, before two of his sons killed him, and they
fled into the mountains of Ararath; and Sarchedonus his son reigned in his stead; who
appointed over his father's accounts, and over all his affairs, Achiacharus my brother
Anael's son.
And Achiacharus intreating for me, I returned to Nineve. Now Achiacharus was
cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and steward, and overseer of the accounts and
Sarchedonus appointed him next unto him and he was my brother's son.
Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with
my son Tobiyah, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks,
there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat.

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And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man
soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of YHWH; and, lo, I tarry
for thee.
But he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in
the marketplace.
Then before I had tasted of any meat, I started up, and took him up into a room until
the going down of the sun.
Then I returned, and washed myself, and ate my meat in heaviness,
Remembering that prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts shall be turned into
mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation.
Therefore I wept and after the going down of the sun I went and made a grave, and
buried him.
But my neighbours mocked me, and said, This man is not yet afraid to be put to death
for this matter who fled away; and yet, lo, he burieth the dead again.
The same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by the wall of my courtyard,
being polluted and my face was uncovered
And I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine eyes being open, the
sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes, and a whiteness came in mine eyes and I
went to the physicians, but they helped me not moreover Achiacharus did nourish me,
until I went into Elymais.
And my wife Anna did take women's works to do.
And when she had sent them home to the owners, they paid her wages, and gave her
also besides a kid.
And when it was in my house, and began to cry, I said unto her, From whence is this
kid? is it not stolen? render it to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat any thing that is
stolen.
But she replied upon me, It was given for a gift more than the wages. Howbeit I did
not believe her, but bade her render it to the owners and I was abashed at her. But she
replied upon me, Where are thine alms and thy righteous deeds? behold, thou and all
thy works are known.

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Then I being grieved did weep, and in my sorrow prayed, saying,
O Yah, thou art just, and all thy works and all thy ways are mercy and truth, and thou
judgest truly and justly forever.
Remember me, and look on me, punish me not for my sins and ignorances, and the
sins of my fathers, who have sinned before thee
For they obeyed not thy commandments wherefore thou hast delivered us for a spoil,
and unto captivity, and unto death, and for a proverb of reproach to all the nations
among whom we are dispersed.
And now thy judgments are many and true deal with me according to my sins and my
fathers' because we have not kept thy commandments, neither have walked in truth
before thee.
Now therefore deal with me as seemeth best unto thee, and command my spirit to be
taken from me, that I may be dissolved, and become earth for it is profitable for me to
die rather than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and have much sorrow
command therefore that I may now be delivered out of this distress, and go into the
everlasting place turn not thy face away from me.
It came to pass the same day, that in Ecbatane a city of Media Sara the daughter of
Raguel was also reproached by her father's maids;
Because that she had been married to seven husbands, whom Asmodeus the evil spirit
had killed, before they had lain with her. Dost thou not know, said they, that thou hast
strangled thine husbands? thou hast had already seven husbands, neither wast thou
named after any of them.
Wherefore dost thou beat us for them? if they be dead, go thy ways after them, let us
never see of thee either son or daughter.
Whe she heard these things, she was very sorrowful, so that she thought to have
strangled herself; and she said, I am the only daughter of my father, and if I do this, it
shall be a reproach unto him, and I shall bring his old age with sorrow unto the grave.
Then she prayed toward the window, and said, Blessed art thou, O Yah my Elohim,
and thine holy and glorious name is blessed and honourable for ever let all thy works
praise thee forever.
And now, O Yah, I set mine eyes and my face toward thee,

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And say, Take me out of the earth, that I may hear no more the reproach.
Thou knowest, Yah, that I am pure from all sin with man,
And that I never polluted my name, nor the name of my father, in the land of my
captivity I am the only daughter of my father, neither hath he any child to be his heir,
neither any near kinsman, nor any son of his alive, to whom I may keep myself for a
wife my seven husbands are already dead; and why should I live? but if it please not
thee that I should die, command some regard to be had of me, and pity taken of me,
that I hear no more reproach.
So the prayers of them both were heard before the majesty of the great Elohim.
And Raphael was sent to heal them both, that is, to scale away the whiteness of
Tobiya's eyes, and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobiyah the son
of Tobiya; and to bind Asmodeus the evil spirit; because she belonged to Tobiyah by
right of inheritance. The selfsame time came Tobiya home, and entered into his house,
and Sara the daughter of Raguel came down from her upper chamber.
In that day Tobiya remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in
Rages of Media,
And said with himself, I have wished for death; wherefore do I not call for my son
Tobiyah that I may signify to him of the money before I die?
And when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead, bury me; and despise
not thy mother, but honour her all the days of thy life, and do that which shall please
her, and grieve her not.
Remember, my son, that she saw many dangers for thee, when thou wast in her
womb and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.
My son, be mindful of YHWH our Elohim all thy days, and let not thy will be set to
sin, or to transgress his commandments do uprightly all thy life long, and follow not
the ways of unrighteousness.
For if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them
that live justly.
Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious,
neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of Elohim shall not be turned away
from thee.

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If thou hast abundance give alms accordingly if thou have but a little, be not afraid to
give according to that little
For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.
Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness.
For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.
Beware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of the seed of thy fathers,
and take not a strange woman to wife, which is not of thy father's tribe for we are the
children of the prophets, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remember, my son, that our
fathers from the beginning, even that they all married wives of their own kindred, and
were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.
Now therefore, my son, love thy brethren, and despise not in thy heart thy brethren,
the sons and daughters of thy people, in not taking a wife of them for in pride is
destruction and much trouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want for lewdness is
the mother of famine.
Let not the wages of any man, which hath wrought for thee, tarry with thee, but give
him it out of hand for if thou serve Elohim, he will also repay thee be circumspect my
son, in all things thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.
Do that to no man which thou hatest drink not wine to make thee drunken neither let
drunkenness go with thee in thy journey.
Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; and
according to thine abundance give alms and let not thine eye be envious, when thou
givest alms.
Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked.
Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.
Bless YHWH thy Elohim alway, and desire of him that thy ways may be directed,
and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper for every nation hath not counsel; but
YHWH himself giveth all good things, and he humbleth whom he will, as he will;
now therefore, my son, remember my commandments, neither let them be put out of
thy mind.

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And now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents to Gabael the son of
Gabrias at Rages in Media.
And fear not, my son, that we are made poor for thou hast much wealth, if thou fear
Elohim, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.
Tobiyah then answered and said, Father, I will do all things which thou hast
commanded me
But how can I receive the money, seeing I know him not?
Then he gave him the handwriting, and said unto him, Seek thee a man which may go
with thee, whiles I yet live, and I will give him wages and go and receive the money.
Therefore when he went to seek a man, he found Raphael that was an angel.
But he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me to Rages? and
knowest thou those places well?
To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well for I have
lodged with our brother Gabael.
Then Tobiyah said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father.
Then he said unto him, Go and tarry not. So he went in and said to his father, Behold,
I have found one which will go with me. Then he said, Call him unto me, that I may
know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee.
So he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another.
Then Tobiya said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and family thou art.
To whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or an hired man to go with thy
son? Then Tobiya said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and name.
Then he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, and of thy brethren.
Then Tobiya said, Thou art welcome, brother; be not now angry with me, because I
have enquired to know thy tribe and thy family; for thou art my brother, of an honest
and good stock for I know Ananias and Jonathas, sons of that great Samaias, as we
went together to Yi'rusalem to worship, and offered the firstborn, and the tenths of the
fruits; and they were not seduced with the error of our brethren my brother, thou art of
a good stock.

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But tell me, what wages shall I give thee? wilt thou a drachm a day, and things
necessary, as to mine own son?
Yea, moreover, if ye return safe, I will add something to thy wages.
So they were well pleased. Then said he to Tobiyah, Prepare thyself for the journey,
and Elohim send you a good journey. And when his son had prepared all things for
the journey, his father said, Go thou with this man, and Elohim, which dwelleth in
heaven, prosper your journey, and the angel of Elohim keep you company. So they
went forth both, and the young man's dog with them.
But Anna his mother wept, and said to Tobiya, Why hast thou sent away our son? is
he not the staff of our hand, in going in and out before us?
Be not greedy to add money to money but let it be as refuse in respect of our child.
For that which YHWH hath given us to live with doth suffice us.
Then said Tobiya to her, Take no care, my sister; he shall return in safety, and thine
eyes shall see him.
For the good angel will keep him company, and his journey shall be prosperous, and
he shall return safe.
Then she made an end of weeping.
And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and
they lodged there.
And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river,
and would have devoured him.
Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish,
and drew it to land.
To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall,
and put them up safely.
So the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when they had roasted the
fish, they did eat it then they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatane.
Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and
the liver and the gal of the fish?

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And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil or an evil spirit
trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the
party shall be no more vexed.
As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall
be healed.
And when they were come near to Rages,
The angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is
thy cousin; he also hath one only daughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she
may be given thee for a wife.
For to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred.
And the maid is fair and wise now therefore hear me, and I will speak to her father;
and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage for I know that Raguel
cannot marry her to another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty of
death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other.
Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias that this maid
hath been given to seven men, who all died in the marriage chamber.
And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest if I go in unto her, I die,
as the other before for a wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, but those
which come unto her; wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring my father's and my
mother's life because of me to the grave with sorrow for they have no other son to
bury them.
Then the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the precepts which thy father
gave thee, that thou shouldest marry a wife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me,
O my brother; for she shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of the
evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage.
And when thou shalt come into the marriage chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of
perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt
make a smoke with it
And the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more but when
thou shalt come to her, rise up both of you, and pray to Elohim which is merciful, who
will have pity on you, and save you fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from the
beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go with thee. Moreover I suppose

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that she shall bear thee children. Now when Tobiyah had heard these things, he loved
her, and his heart was effectually joined to her.
And when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel, and Sara
met them and after they had saluted one another, she brought them into the house.
Then said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobiya my cousin!
And Raguel asked them, From whence are ye, brethren? To whom they said, We are
of the sons of Nephthalim, which are captives in Nineve.
Then he said to them, Do ye know Tobiya our kinsman? And they said, We know
him. Then said he, Is he in good health?
And they said, He is both alive, and in good health and Tobiyah said, He is my father.
Then Raguel leaped up, and kissed him, and wept,
And blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art the son of an honest and good man. But
when he had heard that Tobiya was blind, he was sorrowful, and wept.
And likewise Edna his wife and Sara his daughter wept. Moreover they entertained
them cheerfully; and after that they had killed a ram of the flock, they set store of
meat on the table. Then said Tobiyah to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of those
things of which thou didst talk in the way, and let this business be dispatched.
So he communicated the matter with Raguel and Raguel said to Tobiyah, Eat and
drink, and make merry
For it is meet that thou shouldest marry my daughter nevertheless I will declare unto
thee the truth.
I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who died that night they came in
unto her nevertheless for the present be merry. But Tobiyah said, I will eat nothing
here, till we agree and swear one to another.
Raguel said, Then take her from henceforth according to the manner, for thou art her
cousin, and she is thine, and the merciful Elohim give you good success in all things.
Then he called his daughter Sara, and she came to her father, and he took her by the
hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobiyah, saying, Behold, take her after the law of
Moses, and lead her away to thy father. And he blessed them;

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