Tobit
[This book is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] The angel Raphael helps cure righteous Tobit of his blindness and wed his son Tobiah to Sarah.
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Tobit recommends fasting, Chronology
The Book of Tobit is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
SUMMARY
Title
The Book of Tobit is named for its principle character.
Author
The author is not known.
Date
The Book of Tobit has an historical timeframe of roughly 721 BC.
It was most likely written in the third or early second century BC; probably between 225 and 175 BC.
See our study: The Chronology of the Deuterocanonical Books.
Purpose
The Book of Tobit offered the diaspora (the Jewish people in exile) guidance on how to retain their Jewish identity.
Its message was that God tests the faith of his people, hears their prayers, and redeems them.
The author encourages readers to trust in God’s mercy for their personal lives, and to realize God’s reign over all humanity.
The Church Fathers, especially Bede the Venerable, found much that was useful in reading Tobit. However, they read it from an allegorical perspective.
In our day, the vast majority of scholars recognize the Book of Tobit as a work of fiction with some historical references.
OUTLINE
INTRODUCING THE MAIN CHARACTERS
Tobit 1:1-2. Introduction to Tobit
Tobit 1:3-14. Tobit is righteous
Tobit 1:15-22. Tobit’s courage in burying the dead
Tobit 2:1-14. Tobit becomes blind
Tobit 3:1-6. Tobit prays for death
Tobit 3:7-10. Young Sarah is severely mocked
Tobit 3:11-15. Sarah prays for death
Tobit 3:16-17. An unexpected answer to prayer
TOBIAS AND RAPHAEL TRAVEL TO ECBATANA
Tobit 4:1-22. Tobit instructs his son Tobias
Tobit 6:1-8. Tobias catches a very special fish
THE MARRIAGE OF SARAH AND TOBIAS
Tobit 6:9-17. Raphael prepares Tobias to meet Sarah
Tobit 7:1-11. They arrive at Raguel’s house in Ecbatana
Tobit 7:12-18. Sarah and Tobias meet
Tobit 8:1-14. Their wedding night
Tobit 8:15-21. They celebrate with a feast
Tobit 9:1-6. Raphael recovers Tobit’s money
THEY RETURN TO NINEVEH
Tobit 10:1-9. Tobit and Anna worry about their son
Tobit 10:10-12. Tobias and Sarah depart from Ecbatana
Tobit 11:1-9. They arrive in Nineveh
Tobit 11:10-15. Tobit’s sight is restored
Tobit 11:16-19. Tobit welcomes his daughter-in-law Sarah
RAPHAEL REVEALS HIS TRUE IDENTITY
Tobit 12:1-10. They offer Raphael a generous gift
Tobit 12:11-22. Raphael reveals his true identity
THE NARRATIVE COMES TO A CLOSE
Tobit 13:1-18. Tobit praises God
Tobit 14:1-11. Tobit’s final advice
Tobit 14:12-15. Our main characters pass away
MEMORIZE
Here are some great verses to memorize:
Tobit 12:8. Good is prayer with fasting, alms, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold.
Tobit 13:10. Give thanks to the Lord with goodness, and bless the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be built in you again with joy, and that he may make glad in you those who are captives, and love in you forever those who are miserable.
SEE ALSO:
Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible
TOBIT
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Tobit recommends fasting, Chronology
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.