Tobias

1After this Tobias went on his way. He praised God for a good journey. He blessed Raguel and Edna his wife. Then he traveled on until they came near Nineveh.

After these things Tobias went his way, praising God that he had given him a prosperous journey, and blessed Raguel and Edna his wife, and went on his way till they drew near unto Nineve.

NoteRaguel and Edna are the parents of Tobias' new wife. To bless someone means to say kind words about them. You ask God to be good to them.

2Then Raphael said to Tobias, "You know, brother, how you left your father."

Then Raphael said to Tobias, Thou knowest, brother, how thou didst leave thy father:

NoteRaphael is really an angel. Tobias does not know that yet. Calling someone "brother" was a friendly way to talk to a friend.

3"Let us hurry on ahead of your wife and get the house ready."

Let us haste before thy wife, and prepare the house.

4"And carry the gall of the fish in your hand." So they went on their way, and the dog went after them.

And take in thine hand the gall of the fish. So they went their way, and the dog went after them.

NoteGall is a bitter juice from inside a fish. Tobias saved it earlier. Long ago people used it like medicine.

5Now Anna sat and looked down the road, watching for her son.

Now Anna sat looking about toward the way for her son.

NoteAnna is Tobias' mother. She has waited many days for him to come home.

6She saw him coming. She said to his father, "Look, your son is coming. The man who went with him is coming too."

And when she espied him coming, she said to his father, Behold, thy son cometh, and the man that went with him.

7Then Raphael said, "I know, Tobias, that your father will open his eyes."

Then said Raphael, I know, Tobias, that thy father will open his eyes.

8"So rub the gall on his eyes. It will sting him, and he will rub them. The white stuff will fall off. Then he will see you."

Therefore anoint thou his eyes with the gall, and being pricked therewith, he shall rub, and the whiteness shall fall away, and he shall see thee.

NoteTobit's eyes were covered with a white film. It was like a skin over his eyes. That is why he could not see.

9Then Anna ran out. She threw her arms around her son's neck. She said, "I have seen you, my son. Now I am ready to die." They both cried.

Then Anna ran forth, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said unto him, Seeing I have seen thee, my son, from henceforth I am content to die. And they wept both.

NotePeople said this when they were very, very happy. It meant she had everything she ever wished for.

10Tobit went out toward the door too, and he tripped. But his son ran to him.

Tobit also went forth toward the door, and stumbled: but his son ran unto him,

NoteTobit could not see, so he did not know where the door was. That is why he tripped.

11He took hold of his father. He rubbed the gall on his father's eyes. He said, "Have good hope, my father."

And took hold of his father: and he strake of the gall on his fathers’ eyes, saying, Be of good hope, my father.

12His eyes began to sting, and he rubbed them.

And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them;

13The white stuff peeled away from the corners of his eyes. He saw his son, and he threw his arms around him.

And the whiteness pilled away from the corners of his eyes: and when he saw his son, he fell upon his neck.

14He cried and said, "Blessed are you, O God. Blessed is your name forever. Blessed are all your holy angels."

And he wept, and said, Blessed art thou, O God, and blessed is thy name for ever; and blessed are all thine holy angels:

NoteAngels are God's messengers. Raphael is one of them.

15"You punished me, and you have had pity on me. Look, I see my son Tobias." His son went in full of joy. He told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.

For thou hast scourged, and hast taken pity on me: for, behold, I see my son Tobias. And his son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.

NoteThe old words say "scourged," which meant whipped. Here it means Tobit had a hard, sad time. Media was a land far away, where Tobias had traveled.

16Then Tobit went out to the gate of Nineveh to meet his son's wife. He was full of joy and praised God. The people who saw him walking were amazed, because he could see again.

Then Tobit went out to meet his daughter in law at the gate of Nineve, rejoicing and praising God: and they which saw him go marvelled, because he had received his sight.

NoteCities long ago had a big wall around them. The gate was the doorway in the wall. People met there to talk and greet each other.

17Tobit thanked God in front of them all, because God had shown him mercy. He came near to Sara, his son's wife. He blessed her and said, "Welcome, daughter. Blessed be God, who has brought you to us. Blessed be your father and your mother." And all his family in Nineveh were glad.

But Tobias gave thanks before them, because God had mercy on him. And when he came near to Sara his daughter in law, he blessed her, saying, Thou art welcome, daughter: God be blessed, which hath brought thee unto us, and blessed be thy father and thy mother. And there was joy among all his brethren which were at Nineve.

NoteSara is the woman Tobias married. She is new to this family and this city.

18Then Achiacharus came, and Nasbas his brother's son.

And Achiacharus, and Nasbas his brother’s son, came:

NoteThese are two more people in Tobit's family. Their names are hard to say. Achiacharus sounds like ak-EE-a-kar-us.

19Tobias' wedding was kept for seven days, with great joy.

And Tobias’ wedding was kept seven days with great joy.

NoteA wedding long ago was not just one day. Family and friends ate and sang together for a whole week.

1Then Tobit called his son Tobias. He said, "My son, make sure the man who traveled with you gets his pay. Give him more than that too."

Then Tobit called his son Tobias, and said unto him, My son, see that the man have his wages, which went with thee, and thou must give him more.

2Tobias said to him, "Father, it will not hurt me to give him half of what I brought back.

And Tobias said unto him, O father, it is no harm to me to give him half of those things which I have brought:

3He brought me home to you safely. He healed my wife. He brought back my money. He healed you too."

For he hath brought me again to thee in safety, and made whole my wife, and brought me the money, and likewise healed thee.

4Then the old man said, "He has earned it."

Then the old man said, It is due unto him.

5So Tobit called the angel. He said to him, "Take half of everything you two brought back. Then go on your way safely."

So he called the angel, and he said unto him, Take half of all that ye have brought and go away in safety.

NoteAn angel is a messenger God sends. This angel had looked like an ordinary man the whole trip. Tobias thought he was a helper named Azarias. Nobody knew he was an angel yet.

6Then the angel took them both aside. He said to them, "Bless God. Praise him. Tell how great he is. Praise him for what he has done for you, in front of everyone alive. It is good to praise God and lift up his name. It is right to tell about the works of God with honor. So do not be slow to praise him.

Then he took them both apart, and said unto them, Bless God, praise him, and magnify him, and praise him for the things which he hath done unto you in the sight of all that live. It is good to praise God, and exalt his name, and honourably to shew forth the works of God; therefore be not slack to praise him.

NoteTo bless God means to say good things about him.

7It is good to keep a king's secret hidden. But it brings honor to tell what God has done. Do what is good, and no evil will touch you.

It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honourable to reveal the works of God. Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you.

NoteLong ago a king's plans were kept secret. Telling a king's secret could get a person in trouble.

8Prayer is good, along with going without food, giving to the poor, and doing right. A little with doing right is better than a lot with doing wrong. It is better to give to the poor than to store up gold.

Prayer is good with fasting and alms and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold:

NoteGoing without food for a while is called fasting. People did it while they prayed. It showed they meant their prayers with their whole heart.

9Giving to the poor saves people from death. It washes away all sin. Those who give to the poor and do right will be full of life.

For alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life:

NoteSin means doing what is wrong. It turns a person away from God.

10But people who sin are enemies of their own life.

But they that sin are enemies to their own life.

11I will not keep anything hidden from you. I said it is good to keep a king's secret hidden. But it brings honor to tell what God has done.

Surely I will keep close nothing from you. For I said, It was good to keep close the secret of a king, but that it was honourable to reveal the works of God.

12When you prayed, and when Sara your son's wife prayed, I carried the memory of your prayers before the Holy One. And when you buried the dead, I was with you too.

Now therefore, when thou didst pray, and Sara thy daughter in law, I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the Holy One: and when thou didst bury the dead, I was with thee likewise.

Note"The Holy One" is a name for God here. The angel carried their prayers to God, a little like carrying a letter.

13You did not wait. You got up and left your dinner to go and cover the dead. Your good deed was not hidden from me. I was with you.

And when thou didst not delay to rise up, and leave thy dinner, to go and cover the dead, thy good deed was not hid from me: but I was with thee.

NoteTo cover the dead means to bury them. Tobit's people believed burying the dead was very important. Earlier the king had told everyone not to do it. Tobit buried them anyway, even though it was dangerous.

14And now God has sent me to heal you and Sara your son's wife.

And now God hath sent me to heal thee and Sara thy daughter in law.

15I am Raphael. I am one of the seven holy angels. We carry the prayers of God's holy people. We go in and out before the glory of the Holy One."

I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.

NoteRaphael is a name. It means "God heals." People long ago spoke of seven angels who stand closest to God. Glory means the bright shining that shows God is there.

16Then the two of them were shaken. They fell down with their faces to the ground. They were afraid.

Then they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces: for they feared.

NoteFalling down with your face to the ground showed great respect. People did this when something holy happened.

17But he said to them, "Do not be afraid. Things will go well with you. So praise God.

But he said unto them, Fear not, for it shall go well with you; praise God therefore.

18I did not come as a favor of my own. I came because our God wanted it. So praise him forever.

For not of any favour of mine, but by the will of our God I came; wherefore praise him for ever.

19All these days you saw me here. But I did not eat or drink. What you saw was a vision.

All these days I did appear unto you; but I did neither eat nor drink, but ye did see a vision.

NoteA vision is something God lets people see. The angel looked like a man, but he did not need food or drink.

20So now give thanks to God. I am going up to the one who sent me. Write down in a book everything that has happened."

Now therefore give God thanks: for I go up to him that sent me; but write all things which are done in a book.

NoteBooks then were long rolls of paper. People wrote on them by hand.

21When they got up, they could not see him anymore.

And when they arose, they saw him no more.

22Then they told openly about the great and wonderful works of God. They told how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.

Then they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared unto them.

NoteAn angel of the Lord means a messenger sent by God.

1Then Tobit finished praising God.

So Tobit made an end of praising God.

2Tobit was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight. Eight years later he could see again. He gave gifts to poor people. He feared God more and more, and he praised him.

And he was eight and fifty years old when he lost his sight, which was restored to him after eight years: and he gave alms, and he increased in the fear of the Lord God, and praised him.

Note"Feared God" does not mean Tobit was scared of God. It means he honored God and did what God said.

3Tobit grew very old. He called his son and his son's sons. He said to him, "My son, take your children. Look, I am old. I am ready to leave this life.

And when he was very aged he called his son, and the sons of his son, and said to him, My son, take thy children; for, behold, I am aged, and am ready to depart out of this life.

Note"His son's sons" means his grandchildren. Tobit's son was named Tobias.

4Go to the land of Media, my son. Jonas was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. I truly believe what he said about the city of Nineve. It will be thrown down. In Media there will be peace for a while. Our people will be scattered across the earth, far from that good land. Jerusalem will be left empty. The house of God there will be burned. It will stay empty for a time.

Go into Media my son, for I surely believe those things which Jonas the prophet spake of Nineve, that it shall be overthrown; and that for a time peace shall rather be in Media; and that our brethren shall lie scattered in the earth from that good land: and Jerusalem shall be desolate, and the house of God in it shall be burned, and shall be desolate for a time;

NoteMedia was a land far to the east, past the mountains. Nineve was the big city where Tobit lived. Its soldiers had taken his people far from home. Jonas is the man we also call Jonah. "The house of God" means the temple in Jerusalem. A temple is a special building where people worship God.

5Then God will be kind to them again. He will bring them back to the land. There they will build the house of God. It will not be like the first one. That will last until the time of that age is over. After that they will come back from every place where they were held. They will build Jerusalem up in a grand way. The house of God will be built there forever, a splendid building. The prophets said this would happen.

And that again God will have mercy on them, and bring them again into the land, where they shall build a temple, but not like to the first, until the time of that age be fulfilled; and afterward they shall return from all places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem gloriously, and the house of God shall be built in it for ever with a glorious building, as the prophets have spoken thereof.

NoteGod's people had been carried off by enemy soldiers. They had to live in other countries far away. Tobit says they will one day come home again.

6All the nations will turn and truly fear the Lord God. They will bury their idols.

And all nations shall turn, and fear the Lord God truly, and shall bury their idols.

NoteIdols are statues that people prayed to as gods. Burying them means throwing them away for good.

7So all the nations will praise the Lord. His people will thank God. The Lord will lift his people up high. All who love the Lord God in truth and fairness will be glad. They will show mercy to our people.

So shall all nations praise the Lord, and his people shall confess God, and the Lord shall exalt his people; and all those which love the Lord God in truth and justice shall rejoice, shewing mercy to our brethren.

Note"The nations" means all the different peoples of the world. Mercy means being kind to someone who needs help.

8And now, my son, leave Nineve. What the prophet Jonas said will surely happen.

And now, my son, depart out of Nineve, because that those things which the prophet Jonas spake shall surely come to pass.

9But keep the law and the commands. Be merciful, and do what is right. Then it will go well for you.

But keep thou the law and the commandments, and shew thyself merciful and just, that it may go well with thee.

Note"The law and the commands" are the rules God gave his people long ago.

10Bury me properly, and bury your mother with me. Do not stay in Nineve any longer. Remember, my son, what Aman did to Achiacharus, who raised him. He took him out of the light and into the dark. That is how he paid him back. Yet Achiacharus was saved. The other one got what he had earned, for he went down into darkness. Manasses gave gifts to the poor. He got away from the deadly trap that was set for him. But Aman fell into the trap and died.

And bury me decently, and thy mother with me; but tarry no longer at Nineve. Remember, my son, how Aman handled Achiacharus that brought him up, how out of light he brought him into darkness, and how he rewarded him again: yet Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his reward: for he went down into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snares of death which they had set for him: but Aman fell into the snare, and perished.

NoteAchiacharus was Tobit's nephew. He had an important job working for the king. Aman was a boy he raised like a son. Aman told lies about him and had him shut away underground. That is what going "out of the light and into the dark" means. People long ago knew this story well, like we know old tales.

11So now, my son, think about what giving to the poor does. Think about how doing right rescues a person." While he was saying these things, he died in his bed. He was one hundred fifty-eight years old. Tobias buried him with great honor.

Wherefore now, my son, consider what alms doeth, and how righteousness doth deliver. When he had said these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed, being an hundred and eight and fifty years old; and he buried him honourably.

12When his mother Anna died, he buried her with his father. Then Tobias left with his wife and children. They went to Ecbatane, to Raguel, his wife's father.

And when Anna his mother was dead, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and children to Ecbatane to Raguel his father in law,

NoteEcbatane was a city in the land of Media. Raguel was the father of Sara, the wife of Tobias.

13There he grew old and was honored. He buried his wife's father and mother with great honor. He received all that they owned, and all that his father Tobit owned.

Where he became old with honour, and he buried his father and mother in law honourably, and he inherited their substance, and his father Tobit’s.

NoteWhen people died, their house, land, and money went to their family. That is what "received all that they owned" means.

14He died at Ecbatane in Media. He was one hundred twenty-seven years old.

And he died at Ecbatane in Media, being an hundred and seven and twenty years old.

15Before he died, he heard that Nineve was destroyed. Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus captured it. Before his death he was glad about Nineve.

But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.

NoteNabuchodonosor and Assuerus were kings of other lands. Their armies knocked down the city of Nineve.