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Tobias x.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1.
But. Greek, "And Tobit, his father, counted each day; and as the days of the journey were ended, and they did not come,
Tobit said, Is he not put to shame?" (Haydock) and refused payment? (Calmet) --- Old Vulgate and Protestants, "detained."
Ver. 3.
He. Greek, "He was much troubled. But his wife said to him, the boy is come to an untimely end, since he tarries; and
she began to mourn for him, and said, I am not, or am I not full of solicitude, my son, that I have let thee
go, the light of my eyes and Tobit ?", ver. 6. Without this interrogation, (Haydock) the Greek seems to be corrupt; (Calmet)
and os, "how," or oi, "woe," should be put instead of ou, "not." (Drusius;
Grotius; &c.) "Now I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the light," &c., Protestants.
Ver. 6.
That. Greek, "And she said to him, Be silent, deceive me not. My son is lost: and she went out daily into the road
without, by which they departed. In the day time she eat no bread, and the night she spent in bewailing her son, Tobias, till
the 14 days of the wedding were finished, which Raguel had adjured him to tarry there. And," ver. 9. (Haydock) --- Thus the
converted Jews lament that Christ should so long abandon their nation, while some hope like Tobias, and others are in more
suspense, like his wife. (Ven. Bede) --- So Catholics, in countries fallen into heresy, are in great distress for their brethren;
(Romans ix.) While some more confidently hope that God will enlighten our nation again, as sight was restored to old Tobias.
(Worthington)
Ver. 8.
Raguel. Greek, "Tobias," as [in] ver. 9, which is transposed.
Ver. 9.
Days. It would require 42, (Tirinus) or 38, (Torniel) or 34 days, (Salien; Menochius) to perform what is here recorded.
(Haydock) --- But it would be difficult to ascertain the precise time. To go from Ninive to Ecbatana would occupy eight or
ten days. (Calmet) ---If, therefore, the parents of Tobias expected that he would return in about 20 days, they might well
wonder at the 14 days’ delay occasioned by the marriage. The distance might prevent him from giving notice of this event.
Greek, "Dismiss me, because my, &c.,....no longer hope to see me again. But his father-in-law replied, Stop with me,"
&c., ver. 8. (Haydock)
Ver. 10.
When. Greek, "And Tobias said, No; but dismiss me to my father and mother. Then Raguel rising up, gave him Sarra[Sara],
his wife, and half his goods, bodies, beasts, and silver." This expression, bodies, (H). or men generally denotes slaves;
but it may also be put for others, (Calmet) who were in the train of Sara. (Grotius) --- Safe. Greek, "with blessing,
saying, May God prosper you, children, the God of heaven, before I die; and he said to his daughter, Honour thy father and
mother-in-law, they are now thy parents. May I hear a good report of thee, and he kissed her; and Edna said to Tobias, dear
brother, May the Lord of heaven re-establish thee and grant me to behold thy children by my daughter, Sarra, that I may rejoice
before the Lord; and behold, I place my daughter with thee as a deposit, and thou must not grieve her. Afterwards she departed,
and Toby[Tobias] also blessing God, and he made his journey prosperous and blessed Raguel, and Edna, and his wife." (Haydock)
--- The Jews still adopt many customs similar to those which we here behold, as this is a most excellent description of a
holy marriage. (Serarius) (Calmet) --- Some also prevail in the Christian Church, though marriage is now become more holy,
and a sacrament. (Cat. Rom. q. 22.) --- The proper intent of the contract, and many rites accompanying it, may be seen in
the preceding chapters. (Worthington)
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Bible Text & Cross-references:
The parents lament the long absence of their son, Tobias.
He sets out to return.
1 But *as Tobias made longer stay upon occasion of the marriage, Tobias,
his father, was solicitous, saying: Why, thinkest thou, doth my son tarry, or why is he detained there?
2 Is Gabelus dead, thinkest thou, and no man will pay him the money?
3 And he began to be exceedingly sad, both he and Anna, his wife, with
him: and they began both to weep together: because their son did not return to them on the day appointed.
4 *But his mother wept and was quite disconsolate, and said: Woe, woe is
me, my son, why did we send thee to go to a strange country, the light of our eyes, the staff of our old age, the comfort
of our life, the hope of our posterity?
5 We, having all things together in thee alone, ought not to have let thee
go from us.
6 And Tobias said to her: Hold thy peace, and be not troubled, our son
is safe: that man with whom we sent him, is very trusty.
7 But she could by no means be comforted, but daily running out, looked
round about, and went into all the ways by which there seemed any hope he might return, that she might, if possible, see him
coming afar off.
8 But Raguel said to his son-in-law: Stay here, and I will send a messenger
to Tobias, thy father, that thou art in health.
9 And Tobias said to him: I know that my father and mother now count the
days, and their spirit is grievously afflicted within them.
10 And when Raguel had pressed Tobias with many words, and he by no means
would hearken to him, he delivered Sara unto him, and half of all his substance in men-servants, and women-servants, in cattle,
in camels, and in kine, and in much money, and sent him away safe and joyful from him,
11 Saying: The holy angel of the Lord be with you in your journey, and
bring you through safe, and that you may find all things well about your parents, and my eyes see your children before I die.
12 And the parents taking their daughter, kissed her, and let her go:
13 Admonishing her to honour her father and mother-in-law, to love her
husband, to take care of the family, to govern the house, and to behave herself irreprehensibly.
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*
1: Year of the World 3299.
4: Tobias v. 23.
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