Chapter Five

1–17. The departure of Tobias to Rages of Media in the company of the angel Raphael, who appeared in the form of the young man Azariah. 18–22. Anna’s sorrow at the separation from her son and Tobit’s comfort to her.

Tobit 5:1. And Tobias answered him: Father, I will fulfill all that you command me; Tobit 5:2. but how can I obtain the silver if I do not know that man? Tobit 5:3. Then his father gave him a receipt and said: Find yourself a man who will travel with you; I will pay him a wage while I still live, and go fetch the silver. 1–3. In the accepted Greek text, as in the Slavonic-Russian translations, the speech of vv. 2–3 is condensed to obscurity: thus the indication of the time when the money was left by Tobit with Gabael is omitted (1:14; 4:20), namely: twenty years ago (Codex Sinaiticus, Vet. Latin.); similarly, from the accepted text it is not clear what kind of receipt Tobit gave to his son and for what purpose: the report found in the Sinaiticus Codex and the Vet. Latina is omitted, namely that besides the receipt written by Gabael and kept by Tobit, there was another receipt written by Tobit and “placed with the money at Gabael” (χειρόγραφον αυτού έδωκεν μοι καί χειρόγραφον έδωκα αύτφ, καί διείλον εις δύο. καί ελάβομεν εκάτερος έν, καί έθηκα μετά τού αργυρίου v. 3 according to the Sinaiticus list of the LXX). This very version is justified by historical data. In Assyro-Babylonia, as is evident from the many surviving so-called contract tablets or private legal and business documents, the custom of protecting property rights with written documents was very common, and these documents were compiled with such care as to evoke amazement even from contemporary jurists. In particular, when giving money to someone for safekeeping, besides the person receiving the money for safekeeping, a receipt by the owner of the money was also written, which was usually placed together with the money. Thus, the report of the book of Tobit (according to the Cod. Sin. and Vet. Lat.) about two money receipts completely corresponds to the customs of Assyro-Babylonia, to which the captive Israelites must have more or less conformed. And the report of the book of Tobit that Tobit only in the reign of Esarhaddon sent his son Tobias to Media to retrieve the money left with Gabael 20 years ago is also historically confirmed — by the absence of safe routes and peaceful relations with Media during the turbulent reign of Sennacherib (cf. 1:15), as well as in the first years of Esarhaddon’s reign, which were taken up with a series of wars aimed at suppressing uprisings. But even in the peaceful time that followed, such a distant journey, as was generally true in antiquity, could not be undertaken without a companion, about whom Tobit therefore concerns himself in v. 3 ff.

Tobit 5:4. And he went to seek a man and met Raphael. This was an angel, but he did not know Tobit 5:5. and he said to him: Can you go with me to Rages of Media and do you know these places? Tobit 5:6. The angel answered: I can go with you and I know the way; I have already stayed with Gabael, our brother. Tobit 5:7. And Tobias said to the angel: Wait for me, I will tell my father. Tobit 5:8. He said: Go, but do not delay. Tobit 5:9. He came and said to his father: I have found myself a companion. His father said: Call him to me; I wish to know of what tribe he is and whether he is a reliable companion for you. Tobit 5:10. And he called him, and he came in, and they greeted each other. Tobit 5:11. Tobit asked: Tell me, brother, of what tribe and family are you? Tobit 5:12. He answered: Are you seeking tribe and family or a hired worker to travel with your son? And Tobit said to him: Brother, I wish to know your family and your name. Tobit 5:13. He said: I am Azariah, of the family of the great Ananias, of your kinfolk. Tobit 5:14. Then Tobit said to him: Brother, go with my blessing, and do not be angry with me for asking about your tribe and family. You are my brother, of an honorable and good family. I knew Ananias and Jonathan, sons of the great Shemaiah; we went together to Jerusalem to worship, with the firstborn and the tithes of the earth’s produce, for we were not led astray by the error of our brothers: you, brother, are of good stock! Tobit 5:15. But tell me: what wages should I give you? I will give you a drachma a day and all that is necessary for you and for my son, Tobit 5:16. and I will also add to your wages if you return in safety. Tobit 5:17. Thus they agreed. Then he said to Tobias: Be ready for the journey, and may you go in safety. And his son made ready what was necessary for the journey. And his father said to him: Go with this man; may the God who dwells in heaven prosper your journey, and may His angel accompany you! — And they both went, and the young man’s dog with them. Tobit 5:18. His mother Anna wept and said to Tobit: Why have you sent our son away? Is he not the support of our hands, when he goes out and comes in before us? 4–18. The account in the book of Tobit concerning the manner of the angel Raphael’s appearance on earth and his relationship to Tobit and Tobias is fully confirmed by similar examples found in the canonical writings of the Old Testament (Gen 18-19 ch., Judg 13:1-21, etc.). In Raphael’s assumption of precisely the form of a person who could be a companion to Tobias, we see that adaptation to the circumstances of the time and to the condition of the people which many biblical accounts of angelic appearances testify to (see A. Glagolev, Old Testament Biblical Teaching on Angels, p. 148, cf. Prof. Drozdov, pp. 373–378). Regarding the troubling appearance of Raphael’s actions, namely that he presented himself as Azariah, son of Ananias (v. 13), it can be said that “what Raphael said about himself was true (as fully corresponding to the form he had assumed), but he did not tell the whole truth, because Tobit was not to know it until a certain time” (cf. Prof. Drozdov, p. 375); if he had appeared in angelic form, he would have filled Tobit and Tobias with fear and would not have fulfilled his assigned mission, as blessed Augustine explains (Curs. Comp. S. Scr. v. XII, col. 546).

Tobit 5:19. Do not prefer silver to silver; let it be like rubbish compared to our son! Tobit 5:20. For as long as the Lord has granted us to live, we have enough. Tobit 5:21. Tobit said to her: Do not grieve, sister; he will come in good health, and your eyes will see him, Tobit 5:22. for a good angel will accompany him; his journey will be successful, and he will return in good health. 19–22. As with all of Raphael’s activity on earth, so also Tobit’s faith in a good angel accompanying Tobias, v. 22, cf. Gen 24:7, testifies to the deep vitality of faith in angels and their redemptive activity for men — throughout all periods of Old Testament history (see A. Glagolev, cited work, p. 489). Subscribe to our Telegram channel