Tobit · WEB-C
Tobit
11
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After these things Tobias also went his way, blessing God because he had prospered his journey; and he blessed Raguel and Edna his wife. Then he went on his way until they drew near to Nineveh. Raphael said to Tobias, “Don’t you know, brother, how you left your father? Let’s run forward before your wife, and prepare the house. But take in your hand the bile of the fish.” So they went their way, and the dog went after them. Anna sat looking around toward the path for her son. She saw him coming, and said to his father, “Behold, your son is coming with the man that went with him!” Raphael said, “I know, Tobias, that your father will open his eyes. Therefore anoint his eyes with the bile, and being pricked with it, he will rub, and will make the white films fall away. Then he will see you.” Anna ran to him, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said to him, “I have seen you, my child! I am ready to die.” They both wept. Tobit went toward the door and stumbled; but his son ran to him, and took hold of his father. He rubbed the bile on his father’s eyes, saying, “Cheer up, my father.” When his eyes began to hurt, he rubbed them. Then the white films peeled away from the corners of his eyes; and he saw his son, and fell upon his neck. He wept, and said, “Blessed are you, O God, and blessed is your name forever! Blessed are all your holy angels! For you scourged, and had mercy on me. Behold, I see my son Tobias.” And his son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media. Tobit went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh, rejoicing and blessing God. Those who saw him go marveled, because he had received his sight. Tobit gave thanks before them, because God had shown mercy on him. When Tobit came near to Sarah his daughter-in-law, he blessed her, saying, “Welcome, daughter! Blessed is God who has brought you to us, and blessed are your father and your mother.” And there was joy among all his kindred who were at Nineveh. Achiacharus and Nasbas his brother’s son came. Tobias’ wedding feast was kept seven days with great gladness.
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)12 notes
Notes in English 19th-century Catholic commentary by Fr. George Leo Haydock, shown as published.
These notes keep the polemics of their time: some speak harshly of the Jewish people or of other Christians. The Church teaches otherwise today. The Jewish people may not be blamed for the death of Christ (Nostra Aetate 4; Catechism 597–598), and Christians of other communities are our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Unitatis Redintegratio 3). Christian unity
Tobit 11:1
Ver. 1. Charan. Not the residence of Abraham. Gen. xii. 4. Syr. reads, "Bazri," or
"Carrac."
Old Vulg. ibat Caracha, quæ est civitas in Ninive. Arrian places Carcha in Assyria, and Ptolemy mentions a Characa in Susiana. --- Midway. At this rate, the distance from Ninive to Ecbatana would be 22 days’ journey. But it is not half so much for a man travelling expeditiously. C. ---
Tobias had much luggage. Leaving it with his wife, (H.) he went from this city to Ninive in three or four days, v. 18. C. --- Gr. "and he travelled on till he came near to Ninive. And Raphael said," &c.
↑ 1Tobit 11:3
Ver. 3. If. Gr. "Let us go quickly before thy wife, and prepare the house." H. ---
This would be necessary, for the reception of so many goods, as well as to relieve the anxiety (C.) of the aged parents, and prevent surprise.
↑ 3Tobit 11:4
Ver. 4. And. Gr. "Take now in thy hand the gall of the fish. And they went on.
And the dog followed close up to them; (H. Syr. "ran before them." C.) and Anna."
↑ 4Tobit 11:6
Ver. 6. Cometh. Gr. adds, "and the man who went with him."
↑ 6Tobit 11:7
Ver. 7. To. Gr. "I know, Tobias, that thy father will open his eyes. Ancient, therefore, the gall upon his eyes, and feeling the smart, he will rub and remove the white specks, and shall see thee."
H. --- God. This laudable custom was observed by the ancient solitaries, and prescribed by the rule of S. Benedict, c. 53.
↑ 7Tobit 11:9
Ver. 9. The dog, &c. This may seem a very minute circumstance to be recorded in sacred history; but, as we learn from our Saviour, (S. Matt. v. 18) there are iotas and tittles in the word of God, that is to say, things that appear minute, but which have indeed a deep mysterious meaning in them. Ch. --- V. Bede. S.
Jer. in Isai. lvi. 8. S. Aug. con. Faust. xxii. 56. W. --- The other versions relate this event, v. 4.
↑ 9Tobit 11:10
Ver. 10. And. After v. 7, Gr. adds, "and Anna running before, fell upon the neck of her son, and said to him, I have beheld thee, son; henceforth I may die. And they both wept. And Tobit went out towards the door, and he stumbled. But his son ran up to him, and took hold of his father, and spread the gall upon his father’s eyes, saying, Have confidence, father. But as soon as they began to smart, he rubbed his eyes, and the white specks came off like skins from the corners: and beholding his son, he fell upon his neck, and wept. Then he said," v. 17. H.
↑ 10Tobit 11:14
Ver. 14. Hour. This is not in the other versions. C. --- It would intimate that the operation was natural. M. --- Yet some think that the cure was too instantaneous; (Drusius) or that the miracle consisted in the revelation of a remedy, till then unknown. Serarius. --- The effect seems to have been of the same nature as that produced by the heart, &c. C. vi. 8. W. C. --- Estius believes that the optic nerve was entirely burnt. If the external coat of the eyes was only covered with a sort of skin, it might be removed by the gall of several fishes. C.
--- Callionymi fel cicatrice sanat & carnes oculorum supervacuas consumit.
Pliny xxxii 4. M.
↑ 14Tobit 11:17
Ver. 17. Lord. Gr. "Blessed be God, and blessed be thy name for ever, and blessed be all thy holy angels; because thou hast scourged, and hast shewn mercy, and," &c.
↑ 17Tobit 11:18
Ver. 18. Days. Or perhaps hours; (H.) as the other versions intimate that Sara Arrived the same day. C. --- Gr. "And his son entered, rejoicing, and related to his father the great things which had taken place in Media. And Tobit went out to meet his daughter-in-law, rejoicing, and blessing God, to the gate of Ninive.
And those who saw him walking were astonished, because he saw.
And Tobit confessed before them that God had taken pity on him. And as Tobit approached to Sarra, his daughter-in-law, he blessed her, saying, Mayst thou come with safety, daughter.
Blessed be God, who has brought thee to us, and blessed be thy father and thy mother. And there was joy among all his brethren at Ninive. And," v. 20. H.
↑ 18Tobit 11:20
Ver. 20. Achior. Gr. "Achiachar," mentioned C. i. 24. This text insinuates that he was also styled Anael (H.) and Nasbas, and was the nephew of Tobit. Grot. C.
--- Gr. "And there came Achiachar, and Nasbas, his brother's son, and the wedding of Tobias was kept in joy for seven days." H.
↑ 20Tobit 11:21
Ver. 21. Joy. Old Vulg. adds, "and many presents were made to him."
↑ 21License: Notes by Fr. George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), from the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock's commentary (first ed. Thomas Haydock, Manchester/Dublin, 1811–1814; New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother, 1859); New Testament notes compiled with Fr. Benedict Rayment. Public domain. Digital text: "The Haydock Bible", Internet Archive (archive.org/details/TheHaydockBible), uploaded 2011 under the Public Domain Mark. · Credits and licenses