April 26 Tobit 9-14

9Then Tobias called Raphael and said to him, 2‘Brother Azariah, take four servants and two camels with you and travel to Rages. Go to the home of Gabael, give him the bond, get the money, and then bring him with you to the wedding celebration. 4For you know that my father must be counting the days, and if I delay even one day I will upset him very much. 3You are witness to the oath Raguel has sworn, and I cannot violate his oath.’* 5So Raphael with the four servants and two camels went to Rages in Media and stayed with Gabael. Raphael* gave him the bond and informed him that Tobit’s son Tobias had married and was inviting him to the wedding celebration. So Gabael* got up and counted out to him the money bags, with their seals intact; then they loaded them on the camels.* 6In the morning they both got up early and went to the wedding celebration. When they came into Raguel’s house they found Tobias reclining at table. He sprang up and greeted Gabael,* who wept and blessed him with the words, ‘Good and noble son of a father good and noble, upright and generous! May the Lord grant the blessing of heaven to you and your wife, and to your wife’s father and mother. Blessed be God, for I see in Tobias the very image of my cousin Tobit.’
Anxiety of the Parents10Now, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobias* would need for going and for returning. And when the days had passed and his son did not appear, 2he said, ‘Is it possible that he has been detained? Or that Gabael has died, and there is no one to give him the money?’ 3And he began to worry. 4His wife Anna said, ‘My child has perished and is no longer among the living.’ And she began to weep and mourn for her son, saying, 5‘Woe is me, my child, the light of my eyes, that I let you make the journey.’ 6But Tobit kept saying to her, ‘Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear;* he is all right. Probably something unexpected has happened there. The man who went with him is trustworthy and is one of our own kin. Do not grieve for him, my dear;* he will soon be here.’ 7She answered him, ‘Be quiet yourself! Stop trying to deceive me! My child has perished.’ She would rush out every day and watch the road her son had taken, and would heed no one.* When the sun had set she would go in and mourn and weep all night long, getting no sleep at all.
Tobias and Sarah Start for HomeNow when the fourteen days of the wedding celebration had ended that Raguel had sworn to observe for his daughter, Tobias came to him and said, ‘Send me back, for I know that my father and mother do not believe that they will see me again. So I beg of you, father, to let me go so that I may return to my own father. I have already explained to you how I left him.’ 8But Raguel said to Tobias, ‘Stay, my child, stay with me; I will send messengers to your father Tobit and they will inform him about you.’ 9But he said, ‘No! I beg you to send me back to my father.’ 10So Raguel promptly gave Tobias his wife Sarah, as well as half of all his property: male and female slaves, oxen and sheep, donkeys and camels, clothing, money, and household goods. 11Then he saw them safely off; he embraced Tobias* and said, ‘Farewell, my child; have a safe journey. The Lord of heaven prosper you and your wife Sarah, and may I see children of yours before I die.’ 12Then he kissed his daughter Sarah and said to her, ‘My daughter, honour your father-in-law and your mother-in-law,* since from now on they are as much your parents as those who gave you birth. Go in peace, daughter, and may I hear a good report about you as long as I live.’ Then he bade them farewell and let them go. Then Edna said to Tobias, ‘My child and dear brother, the Lord of heaven bring you back safely, and may I live long enough to see children of you and of my daughter Sarah before I die. In the sight of the Lord I entrust my daughter to you; do nothing to grieve her all the days of your life. Go in peace, my child. From now on I am your mother and Sarah is your beloved wife.* May we all prosper together all the days of our lives.’ Then she kissed them both and saw them safely off. 13Tobias parted from Raguel with happiness and joy, praising the Lord of heaven and earth, King over all, because he had made his journey a success. Finally, he blessed Raguel and his wife Edna, and said, ‘I have been commanded by the Lord to honour you all the days of my life.’*


Homeward Journey11When they came near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, Raphael said, 2‘You are aware of how we left your father. 3Let us run ahead of your wife and prepare the house while they are still on the way.’ 4As they went on together Raphael* said to him, ‘Have the gall ready.’ And the dog* went along behind them.
5 Meanwhile, Anna sat looking intently down the road by which her son would come. 6When she caught sight of him coming, she said to his father, ‘Look, your son is coming, and the man who went with him!’
Tobit’s Sight Restored7 Raphael said to Tobias, before he had approached his father, ‘I know that his eyes will be opened. 8Smear the gall of the fish on his eyes; the medicine will make the white films shrink and peel off from his eyes, and your father will regain his sight and see the light.’
9 Then Anna ran up to her son and threw her arms around him, saying, ‘Now that I have seen you, my child, I am ready to die.’ And she wept. 10Then Tobit got up and came stumbling out through the courtyard door. Tobias went up to him, 11with the gall of the fish in his hand, and holding him firmly, he blew into his eyes, saying, ‘Take courage, father.’ With this he applied the medicine on his eyes, 12and it made them smart.* 13Next, with both his hands he peeled off the white films from the corners of his eyes. Then Tobit* saw his son and* threw his arms around him, 14and he wept and said to him, ‘I see you, my son, the light of my eyes!’ Then he said,
‘Blessed be God,
and blessed be his great name,
and blessed be all his holy angels.
May his holy name be blessed*
throughout all the ages.
15Though he afflicted me,
he has had mercy upon me.*
Now I see my son Tobias!’
So Tobit went in rejoicing and praising God at the top of his voice. Tobias reported to his father that his journey had been successful, that he had brought the money, that he had married Raguel’s daughter Sarah, and that she was, indeed, on her way there, very near to the gate of Nineveh.
16 Then Tobit, rejoicing and praising God, went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh. When the people of Nineveh saw him coming, walking along in full vigour and with no one leading him, they were amazed. 17Before them all, Tobit acknowledged that God had been merciful to him and had restored his sight. When Tobit met Sarah the wife of his son Tobias, he blessed her saying, ‘Come in, my daughter, and welcome. Blessed be your God who has brought you to us, my daughter. Blessed be your father and your mother, blessed be my son Tobias, and blessed be you, my daughter. Come in now to your home, and welcome, with blessing and joy. Come in, my daughter.’ So on that day there was rejoicing among all the Jews who were in Nineveh. 18Ahikar and his nephew Nadab were also present to share Tobit’s joy. With merriment they celebrated Tobias’s wedding feast for seven days, and many gifts were given to him.*


Raphael’s Wages12When the wedding celebration was ended, Tobit called his son Tobias and said to him, ‘My child, see to paying the wages of the man who went with you, and give him a bonus as well.’ 2He replied, ‘Father, how much shall I pay him? It would do no harm to give him half of the possessions brought back with me. 3For he has led me back to you safely, he cured my wife, he brought the money back with me, and he healed you. How much extra shall I give him as a bonus?’ 4Tobit said, ‘He deserves, my child, to receive half of all that he brought back.’ 5So Tobias* called him and said, ‘Take for your wages half of all that you brought back, and farewell.’
Raphael’s Exhortation6 Then Raphael* called the two of them privately and said to them, ‘Bless God and acknowledge him in the presence of all the living for the good things he has done for you. Bless and sing praise to his name. With fitting honour declare to all people the deeds* of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. 7It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to acknowledge and reveal the works of God, and with fitting honour to acknowledge him. Do good, and evil will not overtake you. 8Prayer with fasting* is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing.* It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. 9For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, 10but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies.
Raphael Discloses His Identity11 ‘I will now declare the whole truth to you and will conceal nothing from you. Already I have declared it to you when I said, “It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal with due honour the works of God.” 12So now, when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and read* the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you buried the dead. 13And that time when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead, 14I was sent to you to test you. And at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. 15I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.’
16 The two of them were shaken; they fell face down, for they were afraid. 17But he said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; peace be with you. Bless God for evermore. 18As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting on my own will, but by the will of God. Bless him each and every day; sing his praises. 19Although you were watching me, I really did not eat or drink anything—but what you saw was a vision. 20So now get up from the ground,* and acknowledge God. See, I am ascending to him who sent me. Write down all these things that have happened to you.’ And he ascended. 21Then they stood up, and could see him no more. 22They kept blessing God and singing his praises, and they acknowledged God for these marvellous deeds of his, when an angel of God had appeared to them.


Tobit’s Thanksgiving to God13Then Tobit* said:
‘Blessed be God who lives for ever,
because his kingdom* lasts throughout all ages.
2For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;
he leads down to Hades in the lowest regions of the earth,
and he brings up from the great abyss,*
and there is nothing that can escape his hand.
3Acknowledge him before the nations, O children of Israel;
for he has scattered you among them.
4 He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him in the presence of every living being,
because he is our Lord and he is our God;
he is our Father and he is God for ever.
5He will afflict* you for your iniquities,
but he will again show mercy on all of you.
He will gather you from all the nations
among whom you have been scattered.
6If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,
to do what is true before him,
then he will turn to you
and will no longer hide his face from you.
So now see what he has done for you;
acknowledge him at the top of your voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of the ages.*
In the land of my exile I acknowledge him,
and show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners:
“Turn back, you sinners, and do what is right before him;
perhaps he may look with favour upon you and show you mercy.”
7As for me, I exalt my God,
and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.
8Let all people speak of his majesty,
and acknowledge him in Jerusalem.
9O Jerusalem, the holy city,
he afflicted* you for the deeds of your hands,*
but will again have mercy on the children of the righteous.
10Acknowledge the Lord, for he is good,*
and bless the King of the ages,
so that his tent* may be rebuilt in you in joy.
May he cheer all those within you who are captives,
and love all those within you who are distressed,
to all generations for ever. heaven.
Generation after generation will give joyful praise in you;
the name of the chosen city will endure for ever.
11A bright light will shine to all the ends of the earth;
many nations will come to you from far away,
the inhabitants of the remotest parts of the earth to your holy name,
bearing gifts in their hands for the King of
12Cursed are all who speak a harsh word against you;
cursed are all who conquer you
and pull down your walls,
all who overthrow your towers
and set your homes on fire.
But blessed for ever will be all who revere you.*
13Go, then, and rejoice over the children of the righteous,
for they will be gathered together
and will praise the Lord of the ages.
14Happy are those who love you,
and happy are those who rejoice in your prosperity.
Happy also are all people who grieve with you
because of your afflictions;
for they will rejoice with you
and witness all your glory for ever.
15My soul blesses* the Lord, the great King!
16 For Jerusalem will be built* as his house for all ages.
How happy I will be if a remnant of my descendants should survive
to see your glory and acknowledge the King of heaven.
The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald,
and all your walls with precious stones.
The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold,
and their battlements with pure gold.
The streets of Jerusalem will be paved
with ruby and with stones of Ophir.
17The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy,
and all her houses will cry, “Hallelujah!
Blessed be the God of Israel!”
and the blessed will bless the holy name for ever and ever.’
Tobit’s Final Counsel14So ended Tobit’s words of praise.
2 Tobit* died in peace when he was one hundred and twelve years old, and was buried with great honour in Nineveh. He was sixty-two* years old when he lost his eyesight, and after regaining it he lived in prosperity, giving alms and continually blessing God and acknowledging God’s majesty.
3 When he was about to die, he called his son Tobias and the seven sons of Tobias* and gave this command: ‘My son, take your children 4and hurry off to Media, for I believe the word of God that Nahum spoke about Nineveh, that all these things will take place and overtake Assyria and Nineveh. Indeed, everything that was spoken by the prophets of Israel, whom God sent, will occur. None of all their words will fail, but all will come true at their appointed times. So it will be safer in Media than in Assyria and Babylon. For I know and believe that whatever God has said will be fulfilled and will come true; not a single word of the prophecies will fail. All of our kindred, inhabitants of the land of Israel, will be scattered and taken as captives from the good land; and the whole land of Israel will be desolate, even Samaria and Jerusalem will be desolate. And the temple of God in it will be burned to the ground, and it will be desolate for a while.*
5 ‘But God will again have mercy on them, and God will bring them back into the land of Israel; and they will rebuild the temple of God, but not like the first one until the period when the times of fulfilment shall come. After this they all will return from their exile and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendour; and in it the temple of God will be rebuilt, just as the prophets of Israel have said concerning it. 6Then the nations in the whole world will all be converted and worship God in truth. They will all abandon their idols, which deceitfully have led them into their error; 7and in righteousness they will praise the eternal God. All the Israelites who are saved in those days and are truly mindful of God will be gathered together; they will go to Jerusalem and live in safety for ever in the land of Abraham, and it will be given over to them. Those who sincerely love God will rejoice, but those who commit sin and injustice will vanish from all the earth.8,9So now, my children, I command you, serve God faithfully and do what is pleasing in his sight. Your children are also to be commanded to do what is right and to give alms, and to be mindful of God and to bless his name at all times with sincerity and with all their strength. So now, my son, leave Nineveh; do not remain here. 10On whatever day you bury your mother beside me, do not stay overnight within the confines of the city. For I see that there is much wickedness within it, and that much deceit is practised within it, while the people are without shame. See, my son, what Nadab did to Ahikar who had reared him. Was he not, while still alive, brought down into the earth? For God repaid him to his face for this shameful treatment. Ahikar came out into the light, but Nadab went into the eternal darkness, because he tried to kill Ahikar. Because he gave alms, Ahikar* escaped the fatal trap that Nadab had set for him, but Nadab fell into it himself, and was destroyed. 11So now, my children, see what almsgiving accomplishes, and what injustice does—it brings death! But now my breath fails me.’
Death of Tobit and AnnaThen they laid him on his bed, and he died; and he received an honourable funeral. 12When Tobias’s mother died, he buried her beside his father. Then he and his wife and children* returned to Media and settled in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. 13He treated his parents-in-law* with great respect in their old age, and buried them in Ecbatana of Media. He inherited both the property of Raguel and that of his father Tobit. 14He died highly respected at the age of one hundred and seventeen* years. 15Before he died he heard* of the destruction of Nineveh, and he saw its prisoners being led into Media, those whom King Cyaxares* of Media had taken captive. Tobias* praised God for all he had done to the people of Nineveh and Assyria; before he died he rejoiced over Nineveh, and he blessed the Lord God for ever and ever. Amen.*