Commentaria in Tobiam
But that Hebrew first-born text of Tobias, published by Fagius, seems spurious. For it is strange that it was not seen by St. Jerome, who expressly testifies here in the preface that this book was written not in the Hebrew but in the Chaldean tongue. Moreover the phrasing of the Hebrew text published by Fagius plainly seems to be that of some paltry Rabbi, who childishly translated Tobias word for word from the Greek into Hebrew. For it often corresponds word for word to the Greek: hence it seems to have been translated from it, with some things cut out which displeased Fagius or the translator. It adds some ridiculous things, such as that Tobias, since he could not be cured, went into Alemania, or Germany, and that he gave a third tithe for the restoration of the house, according to the law of the Lord. Of these tithes there is no mention in the law.
Let it therefore be held as settled, on the authority of St. Jerome, that this book was first written not in the Hebrew but in the Chaldean tongue, from which as from a source various translations, both Greek, and Hebrew, and Syriac, flowed, of which Serarius treats here, Prolegomena 4.
Hence this book seems to have been written in the Assyrian captivity: for there the Chaldean language was in use, whereas in Judea it was Hebrew. Serarius adds that besides the Hebrew and that Greek which corresponds to our Latin version, there exists another Hebrew, and a Greek somewhat fuller and more ample, in which Tobias always speaks in the first person; whence some rightly think that Tobias wrote the same history twice, once briefly, which we have here, and again more fully, which still exists in Greek, as I have said. This latter exists in St. Ambrose and in the Complutensian Bibles. Moreover these versions often differ among themselves. For us, by the decree of the Council of Trent, session 4, the Latin Vulgate is to be followed rather than the Hebrew and the Greek, when it differs from it.
It is asked fourthly, who is the author of the book? I answer: Sixtus of Siena and Serarius hold that it is both Tobiases: for that the father Tobias wrote the earlier part, and the son Tobias the later; for it relates things which are to be found after the death of the father, being much moved, he judged that it was to be held only as a simple parable; but this is against the faith of the Church, against the opinion of all the Fathers and interpreters, and against the intrinsic truthfulness of the book itself, as will be better proved in answering each difficulty, Argument on Tobias had happened. They prove it from chapter 12, verse 20, where for “relate all things,” the Hebrew and Greek have: Write all these things that have happened, in a book; so Tobias the father seems, at the command of the Archangel Raphael, to have written this book as far as chapter 13, and the son to have carried that chapter on to verse 16 already pointed out. For at its beginning too it is written thus in Hebrew: At this time Tobias wrote these last words in joy. Tobias, I say, the son; for that Hebrew text is accustomed to call the father, as was said above, not Tobias but Tobi, as also immediately where it adds: And Tobi said: Blessed be the Lord God. But who that third was who added the last two verses I have not discovered, just as it is not known who put the last hand to Deuteronomy, although some hold the opinion that it was Josue.
Others think that some scribe of that age, perhaps Esdras, as Sanchez opines, wrote the book of Tobias; for in the Greek codex Jeremias is cited, whom both Tobiases long preceded in time, unless someone says that the name of Jeremias crept into the text from the margin.
It is asked fifthly, who and what sort of man was Tobias? I answer that he was a Galilean by origin, of the tribe and city of Nephthali, as is clear from chapter 1, verse 4. That he was a Prophet is clear from chapter 14, verses 6 ff., where he prophesies the impending destruction of Ninive and Jerusalem, and the happiness and glory of the latter; hence Bede on chapter 13: “Filled,” he says, “with the prophetic spirit, Tobias sings much of the heavenly Jerusalem.”
The same teaches St. Irenaeus, book 1, verse 34, Hugh, Lyranus, Dionysius, Vatablus and others. Further, he was a man of eminent patience, charity and zeal: hence he is fittingly called Tobias. For Tobias in Hebrew is the same as good God, or good of God, or goodness of God, says Serarius; or strictly, God my good, says Pagninus in his Hebrew Names. For Tobias placed all his goods and hopes and resources in God alone, that he might say with the Psalmist: “For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth? Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever.” Psalm 72:25, and with St. Francis: “My God, my love, and my all.”
St. Ambrose wrote tropologically a book on Tobias against usurers and avarice. Again, Peter Berchorius of Poitiers, book 17 of his Moralities, gathered from this book teachings pertaining to good morals. Bede gave an allegory on Tobias, tome 4.
Tobias the elder was led captive from Chaldea into Assyria by Salmanasar the king, in the 39th year of his age, as Serarius and Salianus gather from the Hebrew text; he lived in captivity 63 years; he lived therefore 102 years in all. He was blinded in the 56th year of his age, lived blind four years, recovered his sight in his 60th year, and then lived 42 years more. This is according to the Latin text of the Vulgate edition, chapter 14, verse 1, which we are to follow. For according to the Greek text, Tobias came into captivity in the 37th year of his age, lived in it 125 years, and died in his 158th year. He was blinded in his 58th year, lived blind eight years, recovered his sight in his 66th year, and then lived 92 years more.
And the younger Tobias, says Serarius, towards the end of the book, when he was two years old, was led with his father into Assyria. He went into Media, and there took Sara to wife, in the 93rd or 24th year of his age; he lived with his living parent 65 or 66 years, and lived after his parent’s death 99 years; that is, in all 164 or 165 years. These last three are true according to the Greek text, which St. Ambrose follows, not the Latin Vulgate, which we are to follow, as I shall presently say.
Again, both Tobiases were led into Assyria in the sixth year of Ezechias king of Juda: for in that year Salmanasar, having taken Samaria, carried off the ten tribes into Assyria, where, on account of his virtue and probity, he was dear to king Salmanasar; but being sought for death by his son Sennacherib, who after the slaughter received in Judea was pursuing the Jews, he fled and hid himself, until after 45 days Sennacherib was slain by his sons, as is clear from chapter 1, verse 24.
Since therefore Tobias the elder, in the sixth year of Ezechias, in which he was led into Assyria, was 39 years old, as was said, it necessarily follows that he was born in the 51st year of Ozias king of Juda, since in the following year Isaias, chapter 6, saw that august vision of the Holy Trinity, and of the Seraphim crying out to it: “Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord God of Sabaoth.” About the same time the Olympiads began, and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were born. Tobias the elder died in the 40th year of Manasses; for if from the 51st year of Ozias you count 102 years (how many Tobias lived), you will come to the 40th year of Manasses. So Salianus, Serarius and Sanchez.
But Tobias the younger was born in the 4th year of Ezechias, son of the king of Juda, near the beginning of the city of Rome; and he died in the 16th year of Josias king of Juda, when he was 99 years old, for so many years the Latin Vulgate edition gives him, chapter 14, verse 16, for from the 4th year of Ezechias to the 16th of Josias 99 years passed. So Salianus and Sanchez. But according to the Greek edition Tobias the younger died in the 127th year of his age: so by this reckoning he died at the beginning of the reign of Sedecias, the last king of Juda, a little before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple wrought by the Chaldeans. So Serarius. But we are to follow the Latin Vulgate edition, by the decree of the Council of Trent.
The family, native land and virtues of Tobias are described, both as boy and as man, and how on account of them he was pleasing to Salmanasar, but was forced to flee from his son Sennacherib.