Tobit’s Journey

The journey, stage by stage

1. I

   Into captivity

   Tobit is carried off from Galilee with the tribe of Naphtali when Assyria takes the north. He keeps the law in Nineveh, buries the dead, and once, while he can still travel, leaves ten talents of silver with a kinsman in Media.

   “who in the time of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was led captive out of Thisbe, which is at the right hand of that city, which is called properly Nephthali in Galilee above Aser.”

   Tobit 1:2 (LXX, Brenton)

   “And I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages a city of Media, ten talents of silver.”

   Tobit 1:14 (LXX, Brenton)

2. II

   Sent for the silver

   Blind and expecting death, Tobit sends his son Tobias to Media for the money. A companion offers himself who knows the road. He is the angel Raphael, and Tobias does not know it.

   “To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael.”

   Tobit 5:6 (LXX, Brenton)

3. III

   Evening at the Tigris

   On the first night they camp by the river, and a fish leaps at the young man. Raphael tells him to take its heart, liver and gall. The river is on the map; the place where they camped is not known.

   “And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there.”

   Tobit 6:1 (LXX, Brenton)

4. IV

   The house of Raguel

   In Ecbatane lives Sara, whose seven bridegrooms have died on their wedding night. Tobias marries her, and the demon is driven off. Brenton’s text, following Codex Vaticanus, says at 6:9 that they came near to Rages; the household itself is in Ecbatane.

   “It came to pass the same day, that in Ecbatane a city of Media, Sara the daughter of Raguel was also reproached by her father’s maids;”

   Tobit 3:7 (LXX, Brenton)

5. V

   Raphael rides to Rages

   Kept at the wedding feast, Tobias sends Raphael on with a servant and two camels to fetch the silver from Gabael, about 280 kilometres to the east.

   “Brother Azarias, take with thee a servant, and two camels, and go to Rages of Media to Gabael, and bring me the money, and bring him to the wedding.”

   Tobit 9:2 (LXX, Brenton)

6. VI

   Home to Nineveh

   They return with Sara and the silver. Tobias anoints his father’s eyes with the gall, Tobit sees again, and goes out to the city gate to meet his daughter in law.

   “Then Tobit went out to meet his daughter in law at the gate of Nineve, rejoicing, and praising God: and they which saw him go marvelled, because he had received his sight.”

   Tobit 11:16 (LXX, Brenton)

7. VII

   Ecbatane at the last

   Tobit tells his son to leave Nineveh, which Jonah said would fall. Tobias goes to Media and dies at Ecbatane, having heard that Nineveh was taken.

   “And he died at Ecbatane in Media, being an hundred and seven and twenty years old.”

   Tobit 14:14 (LXX, Brenton)

   “But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.”

   Tobit 14:15 (LXX, Brenton)