Tobit 10

Now his father Tobit kept count of every day. When the days the journey should have taken were over, and they had not come,

1Now Tobit his father counted every day: and when the days of the journey were expired, and they came not,

NoteTobias had traveled from Nineveh to Media to collect money his father had left there years before. The trip had a known length, so Tobit could count off the days and see that his son was overdue.

2Tobit said, "Have they been held back? Or has Gabael died, so there is no one to give him the money?"

2Then Tobit said, Are they detained? or is Gabael dead, and there is no man to give him the money?

NoteGabael was the relative in Media with whom Tobit had deposited his silver for safekeeping (Tobit 1:14; 4:20). Collecting it was the whole point of Tobias's journey, so if Gabael had died there would be no one who knew of the deposit or was obliged to hand it over.

3So he was very upset.

3Therefore he was very sorry.

4Then his wife said to him, "My son is dead, since he is staying away so long." And she began to weep and mourn for him, saying,

4Then his wife said unto him, My son is dead, seeing he stayeth long; and she began to wail him, and said,

NoteWailing was formal, audible mourning, the public lament performed over someone who has died. By starting it, Anna is treating Tobias as already dead rather than merely late.

5"Now I care about nothing, my son, since I let you go, you who were the light of my eyes."

5Now I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the light of mine eyes.

Note"The light of mine eyes" was an ordinary expression of deep affection for a child, especially an only child. Tobit, the boy's father, is himself blind.

6Tobit said to her, "Be quiet. Do not worry. He is well."

6To whom Tobit said, Hold thy peace, take no care, for he is safe.

Note"Hold thy peace" in 1611 English meant "say no more, be silent." It is not an appeal to stay calm or to keep the peace between them.

7But she said to him, "Be quiet, and do not fool me. My son is dead." And every day she went out to the road they had taken, and she ate no food during the daytime, and all night long she did not stop weeping for her son Tobias. This went on until the fourteen days of the wedding feast were over, the days Raguel had sworn Tobias would spend there. Then Tobias said to Raguel, "Let me go, for my father and my mother no longer expect to see me."

7But she said, Hold thy peace, and deceive me not; my son is dead. And she went out every day into the way which they went, and did eat no meat on the daytime, and ceased not whole nights to bewail her son Tobias, until the fourteen days of the wedding were expired, which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there. Then Tobias said to Raguel, Let me go, for my father and my mother look no more to see me.

Note"Meat" in the King James means food of any kind, not flesh in particular: she ate nothing at all while it was light. A wedding feast normally ran seven days; Raguel had made Tobias swear to stay double that, fourteen (Tobit 8:20), which is why the parents' wait stretched so far past the expected date.

8But his father-in-law said to him, "Stay with me, and I will send word to your father, and they will tell him how things are going with you."

8But his father in law said unto him, Tarry with me, and I will send to thy father, and they shall declare unto him how things go with thee.

9But Tobias said, "No. Let me go to my father."

9But Tobias said, No; but let me go to my father.

10Then Raguel got up and gave him Sarah his wife, and half of his property: servants, cattle, and money.

10Then Raguel arose, and gave him Sara his wife, and half his goods, servants, and cattle, and money:

NoteRaguel hands over half of everything he owns at once, as the marriage settlement; he had already promised that the other half would come to the couple when he and Edna died (Tobit 8:21). Sarah is his only child, so the whole estate passes through her. "Cattle" in the King James means livestock generally, not only cows.

11And he blessed them and sent them on their way, saying, "May the God of heaven give you a good journey, my children."

11And he blessed them, and sent them away, saying, The God of heaven give you a prosperous journey, my children.

Note"A prosperous journey" means a safe and successful one, a trip that goes well. It is not a wish for wealth.

12And he said to his daughter, "Honor your father-in-law and your mother-in-law, who are now your parents, so that I may hear a good report about you." And he kissed her. Edna also said to Tobias, "May the Lord of heaven bring you back, my dear brother, and let me see the children you have by my daughter Sarah before I die, so that I may rejoice before the Lord. Look, I place my daughter in your care as a special trust. Do not treat her badly."

12And he said to his daughter, Honour thy father and thy mother in law, which are now thy parents, that I may hear good report of thee. And he kissed her. Edna also said to Tobias, The Lord of heaven restore thee, my dear brother, and grant that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara before I die, that I may rejoice before the Lord: behold, I commit my daughter unto thee of special trust; where are do not entreat her evil.

Note"Honour thy father and thy mother in law" echoes the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12), here transferred to the husband's parents, whom a bride joined on marriage. Edna calls Tobias "brother" as a term for a kinsman: the families are related, and in this book a husband and wife also address each other this way. "I commit my daughter unto thee of special trust" uses the vocabulary of a deposit left with someone for safekeeping, the same kind of arrangement as the money left with Gabael. "Entreat her evil" means treat her badly; "entreat" here carries its old sense "treat," not "beg." The words "where are" are a printing slip for "wherefore," that is, "therefore."