With spontaneous artistry and naturalness the author of this book gives us the very beautiful and highly edifying life-stories of the pious Israelite Tobias and of his son, also called Tobias. It pictures a family living in captivity amongst a pagan people, far from its homeland, yet fully observant of the Law of Moses and trusting in God amidst many trials and difficulties. The theme of the book, then, is the inculcation of the truth that the most important thing in this life is to put full confidence in God, seeing in all things his benevolent Providence, and accepting from his hand with trusting resignation both prosperity and misfortune.

§ b. The story opens with Tobias, the elder, a captive of the Assyrians in the city of Nineveh. With a quick, retrospective glance, 1:4–10, the author then shows us that even as a boy Tobias walked always in the way of the Lord. Among those in captivity his conduct was most exemplary, for, fearing God rather than men, he was careful to give alms and to bury the bodies of the dead, even though this incurred the anger of the king. When afflicted with blindness he did not blame God for this misfortune but bore it patiently even in the face of the upbraidings of his own wife, 1:11–3:6. While these events were taking place, the scene changes with gentle, dramatic effect to Sara a young maiden of Ecbatana, who would one day be the wife of Tobias’ son. We find her pouring out a touching prayer to God for help in her great misery, 3:7–23. The story then returns to Tobias, who had prayed to be allowed to die if God so willed. Expecting that God might take him from this world, Tobias admonishes his son to lead a virtuous life, 4:1–20, and tells him to seek out Gabelus, a fellow-tribesman living in Rages, to whom he had given a sum of money, 4:21–23. The young Tobias is fearful of setting out on so long a journey into unknown country, but he is unexpectedly assisted by the Angel Raphael in the guise of a young man who offers to guide him to Gabelus, 5:1–28. This offer is accepted and the two set out on their journey. After an exciting adventure with a large fish, 6:1–9, they seek lodging at the home of a kinsman who is Raguel, the father of Sara, the maiden already § c mentioned. The Angel counsels Tobias to seek the hand of Sara in marriage, but he is reluctant as he had heard that Sara had already had seven husbands who were killed by a devil. The Angel reassures the young man and instructs him how to overcome the power of the demon, 6:10–22. So they go to Raguel and are received with joy. When Tobias asks for the hand of Sara, her parents express great fear lest if they consent Tobias, too, will be killed. However, Raguel finally yields to the young man’s entreaties, and Tobias is betrothed to Sara, 7:1–20. Things turn out well as the Angel had predicted, for on the marriage night Sara and Tobias pray together, the power of the demon is broken, and no harm ensues 8:1–24. Tobias then remains with Raguel while the Angel journeys on to meet Gabelus and redeem Tobias’ note, 9:1–12. Meanwhile, at home the elder Tobias and his wife, Anna, become solicitous for their son since he has not returned at the appointed time; the mother, especially, is disconsolate, 10:1–7. However, Tobias as a good son takes leave of Raguel, despite his pressing invitation to remain, and begins the homeward journey with his bride, 10:8–13. The homecoming is a joyful one indeed, and it is further gladdened when Tobias at the Angel’s bidding anoints his father’s eyes with the gall of the fish and the old man’s blindness leaves him, 11:1–21. When Tobias seeks to repay the Angel for all he had done, not knowing, of course, that this kind stranger was really an Angel of God, Raphael makes himself known. He tells Tobias and his son that their afflictions were permitted by God to try them; and as they are thunderstruck at this revelation, the Angel disappears from their sight, 12:1–22. The final chapters, in the form of a sort of epilogue, contain the blessing of Tobias the elder, prophecies of the future of the Holy City, ch 13, and an account of the later happy life and holy death of Tobias, father and son, ch 14.

§ d. Doctrinal Content. The book is a veritable treasure-house of doctrine, both speculative and practical. It teaches by both word and example: the history of Tobias and his family inculcates particularly the moral virtues and the happy result, in general, of remaining faithful to God and his commandments. The various prayers and admonitions and counsels contain admirable expositions of doctrine.

§ e. The existence of a personal God is both presumed and mentioned directly; his perfections are referred to frequently. Especially in the prayers and admonitions the God addressed, or referred to, is the one God of Israel, the Creator of all things. The book is thoroughly monotheistic: Yahweh is God; he is omnipotent, eternal, no one can escape his hand, 13:1–4. His benign Providence watches over all things and guides the destinies of all men: events are arranged according to his will, 3:19; 7:14. He certainly sends us trials and permits temptations to prove us, 3:21; 12:13; but just as surely, if we are faithful, he will deliver us from the trials and reward our fidelity, 13:2; 3:22. This God, though eminently just, 3:2, is yet filled with mercy and fatherly solicitude for his children, 3:21 f.; ‘he hath chastised us for our iniquities: and he will save us for his own mercy’, 13:5. In a word, the God of the Book of Tobias is the one, true God, who rules all things wisely; the God of Israel, who is omnipotent, just and merciful, who will reward the good and punish the wicked; ‘Thou art great, O Lord, for ever, and thy kingdom is unto all ages’, 13:1.

§ f. The teaching on the angels and demons is almost all found in the explanations of the Angel Raphael himself. Raphael is an angel (mal’āḵ) sent by God, 12:14, 20. He is incorporeal, 12:19; ‘one of the seven, who stand before the Lord’, 12:15. His duties are to carry out the commands of God who sent him, and to intercede for men before the face of God, 12:12. Angels guard and protect men, 5:21, 27; 10:11. They also have power from God over the demons, 8:3; 12:14. The book tells us a number of things about these demons, although it is by no means a treatise on demonology, and much less is it to be considered a reflection of the beliefs of the Persians or Babylonians on this subject. Here, one devil, Asmodeus, plays the chief role. He has killed the husbands of Sara, 3:10; he torments her household, 8:18; but he remains subject to God’s power and to the Angel sent by God, 8:3; 12:14. Nor has he power over all men but only over those who leave themselves open to his machinations, 6:16, 17.

§ g. Man is a creature of God and therefore should not live like the heathens ‘that know not God’, 6:17; 8:5, 8. He has a higher destiny, 4:11, 23; 12:9, and should by his good works make himself worthy of it. Whether the author of the book had a clear concept of the future life can be questioned. Several allusions would lead us to think that at least he knew that man would live after death and would then receive the reward for his good deeds which he could not expect in this life. We cannot anticipate, of course, at this period, the clarity of NT teaching on the future life.

§ h. Tobias has always been a favourite source of instruction on the sanctity of marriage. In it the state of matrimony is very clearly regarded as a holy union, 8:5. It is to be entered upon with a clean and upright conscience, 4:13; 3:16, 18; its use is to be held sacred, 6:17, 22, and approached with prayer, 6:18. Its main purpose is not sensual gratification, but the procreation of children, ‘for the love of posterity, in which thy name (O Lord) may be blessed for ever and ever’, 8:9; 6:21 f. Those who profane this sacred state deserve punishment and lay themselves open to the power of the demons, ‘they who in such manner receive matrimony, as to shut out God from themselves, and from their mind, and to give themselves to their lust, as the horse and mule, which have not understanding: over them the devil hath power’, 6:17. Cf. the Commentary on 3:8 and 6:16 ff. The spouses should be a mutual support to each other; they should be faithful, 4:13; the husband should respect his wife, and the wife should love her husband, 10:13.

§ i. Good works are counselled on almost every page of the book. Since the author’s chief aim is to inculcate the advantages of an upright, moral life, this is not surprising. He teaches this lesson mainly by the example of the true Israelite, Tobias, and by that of his family. Tobias, even as a boy, observes the Law strictly, 1:4, 8. Later he performs many good deeds, 1:11–20; and he admonishes his son to do likewise, 4:2–20. He had no human respect in all this, for he feared God more than the king, and more than his mocking relatives, 2:9, 18. Nor did he work and hope in vain, for his fidelity to God was rewarded, 12:12 ff.

§ j. Four types of good works are especially practised and inculcated: prayer, the burial of the dead, fasting and alms-giving. All the principal characters of the book practise prayer with confidence: Tobias, 3:1ff.; Sara, 3:10 ff.; Raguel and Anna, 8:6, 16; Tobias, the son, and Sara, 8:4, 6. They pray frequently, 2:14; they pray publicly, 1:6, and privately. They pray alone and with others. They also pray with great fervor, 3:1, 11; 8:6; 12:22. Moreover, their prayers were heard by God, thus testifying to the efficacy of trustful prayer, 12:8, 12.

§ k. There is frequent mention of Tobias’ zeal in burying the dead. With great danger to himself and heroic sacrifice, he hid the bodies of those slain by the king and buried them carefully by night, 1:20 f.; 2:4, 9 f.; 12:12.

§ l. Fasting and alms-giving are both commended and practised: Tobias, according to the Law, kept himself from the defilement of pagan foods, 1:12. Sara fasted to make her prayer more worthy, 3:10; and the Angel Raphael gave the valuable counsel: ‘Prayer is good with fasting and alms: more than to lay up treasures of gold’. It is often related of Tobias that he helped the needy with his alms, 1:17, 19; 2:16; and he also counsels his son to give generously, 4:9 ff. Besides these good works, others are mentioned, e.g. feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, 1:20. All these good deeds please God and merit a reward, 4:10; 12:8 f.