The Book of Tobit (Tobias)

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- Chapter 14 -

Old Tobias dies at the age of a hundred and two years, after exhorting his son and grandsons to piety, foreseeing that Ninive shall be destroyed, and Jerusalem rebuilt. The younger Tobias returns with his family to Raguel, and dies happily as he had lived.

And the sermon of Tobit was completed. And after Tobit received his sight, he lived forty-two years, and he saw the sons of his grandchildren.

And so, having completed one hundred and two years, he was buried honorably at Nineveh.

For he was fifty-six years old, when he lost the light of his eyes, and he was sixty years old, when he truly received it again.

And, in truth, the remainder of his life was in gladness. And so, with the good accomplishment of the fear of God, he departed in peace.

But, in the hour of his death, he called to himself his son Tobias, along with his sons, the seven youths who were his grandsons, and he said to them:

“Nineveh will pass away soon. For the word of the Lord goes forward, and our brothers, who have been dispersed away from the land of Israel, shall return to it.(a)

Thus its deserted land will be entirely filled again. And the house of God, which was burned like incense within it, will be rebuilt again. And all those who fear God will return there.(b)

And the Gentiles will relinquish their idols, and they will enter into Jerusalem, and they will dwell in it.

And all the kings of the earth will rejoice in it, adoring the King of Israel.

Therefore, my sons, listen to your father. Serve the Lord in truth, and seek to do the things that please him.

And command your sons, so that they may accomplish justice and almsgiving, and so that they may be mindful of God and may bless him at all times, in truth and with all their strength.

And now, sons, listen to me, and do not remain here. But, on whatever day you will bury your mother near me in one sepulcher, from that time, direct your steps to leave this place.

For I see that its iniquity will bring about its end.”

And it happened that, after the death of his mother, Tobias withdrew from Nineveh, with his wife, and sons, and sons of sons, and he was returned to his father-in-law.

And he found them unharmed in a good old age. And he took care of them, and he closed their eyes. And all the inheritance of the house of Raguel passed to him. And he saw the sons of his sons to the fifth generation.

And, having completed ninety-nine years in the fear of the Lord, with joy, they buried him.

But all his family and all his lineage continued with a good life and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God and to men, as well as to everyone who dwelt in the land.(c)

Footnotes

(a)14:6 The verb ‘excidit’ literally means ‘falls out.’ It is sometimes used to refer to an event that must befall someone, usually an event of destruction or disaster.(Conte)

(b)14:7 The phrasing ‘omnis...replebitur’ means to be entirely filled up again.(Conte)

(c)14:17 Notice that the word ‘generatio’ is used to refer to lineage, rather than to the members of one time period (generation). Similarly, when Christ said that ‘this generation’ would not pass away until all was accomplished, he meant ‘this lineage,’ in other words, the human race. He was not saying that the people of that time period would see everything accomplished in their lifetime.(Conte)

Old Tobias dies at the age of a hundred and two years, after exhorting his son and grandsons to piety, foreseeing that Ninive shall be destroyed, and Jerusalem rebuilt. The younger Tobias returns with his family to Raguel, and dies happily as he had lived.

Then Tobit finished giving thanks.

He was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight. After eight years, he received it again. He gave alms and he feared the Lord God more and more, and gave thanks to him.

Now he grew very old; and he called his son with the six sons of his son, and said to him, “My child, take your sons. Behold, I have grown old, and am ready to depart out of this life.

Go into Media, my child, for I surely believe all the things which Jonah the prophet spoke of Nineveh, that it will be overthrown, but in Media there will rather be peace for a season. Our kindred will be scattered in the earth from the good land. Jerusalem will be desolate, and the house of God in it will be burned up, and will be desolate for a time.

God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into the land, and they will build the house, but not like to the former house, until the times of that age are fulfilled. Afterward they will return from the places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem with honor. The house of God will be built in it forever with a glorious building, even as the prophets spoke concerning it.

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

All the nations will bless the Lord, and his people will give thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt his people; and all those who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice, showing mercy to our kindred.

And now, my child, depart from Nineveh, because those things which the prophet Jonah spoke will surely come to pass.

But you must keep the law and the ordinances, and show yourself merciful and righteous, that it may be well with you.

Bury me decently, and your mother with me. Don’t stay at Nineveh. See, my child, what Aman did to Achiacharus who nourished him, how out of light he brought him into darkness, and all the recompense that he made him. Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his recompense, and he went down into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snare of death which he set for him; but Aman fell into the snare, and perished.

And now, my children, consider what alms does, and how righteousness delivers.” While he was saying these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed; but he was one hundred fifty eight years old. Tobias buried him magnificently.

When Anna died, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and his sons to Ecbatana to Raguel his father-in-law,

and he grew old in honor, and he buried his father-in-law and mother-in-law magnificently, and he inherited their possessions, and his father Tobit’s.

He died at Ecbatana of Media, being one hundred twenty seven years old.

Before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, which Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus took captive. Before his death, he rejoiced over Nineveh.