Tobit chapter 4
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Tobit instructs his son Tobias.
The Book of Tobit is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
TOBIT INSTRUCTS HIS SON TOBIAS
VERSE 1. In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media,
VERSE 2. and he said to himself, I have asked for death; why do I not call my son Tobias, that I may explain to him about the money before I die?
VERSE 3. And he called him, and said, “My child, if I die, bury me. Don’t despise your mother. Honor her all the days of your life, and do that which is pleasing to her, and don’t grieve her.
do that which is pleasing to her. These words from Tobit reveal the heart attitude of a godly husband: “Do whatever pleases her.”
Her pleasure is very important. A man should have a banner across the door of his house that says, “Do whatever pleases her.”
For the first year of marriage, a Jewish man was required to stay home. On a full-time basis, he was to learn how to give joy to his wife. It was a year-long sexual apprenticeship whose goal was his wife’s fulfillment. Read more »
VERSE 4. Remember, my child, that she has seen many dangers for you, when you were in her womb. When she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.
VERSE 5. My child, be mindful of the Lord our God all your days, and don’t let your will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do righteousness all the days of your life, and don’t follow the ways of unrighteousness.
VERSE 6. For if you do what is true, your deeds will prosperously succeed for you, and for all those who do righteousness.
VERSE 7. Give alms from your possessions. When you give alms, don’t let your eye be envious. Don’t turn away your face from any poor man, and the face of God won’t be turned away from you.
VERSE 8. As your possessions are, give alms of it according to your abundance. If you have little, don’t be afraid to give alms according to that little;
VERSE 9. for you lay up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity;
VERSE 10. because alms-giving delivers from death, and doesn’t allow you to come into darkness.
VERSE 11. Alms is a good gift in the sight of the Most High for all that give it.
VERSE 12. Beware, my child, of all whoredom, and take first a wife of the seed of your fathers. Don’t take a strange wife, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my child, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers of old time, all took wives of their kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed will inherit the land.
we are the descendants of the prophets. Jewish people have a remarkable heritage!
VERSE 13. And now, my child, love your kindred, and don’t scorn your kindred and the sons and the daughters of your people in your heart, to take a wife of them; for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, and in naughtiness is decay and great lack; for naughtiness is the mother of famine.
VERSE 14. Don’t let the wages of any man who works for you wait with you, but give it to him out of hand. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behavior.
VERSE 15. And what you yourself hate, do to no man. Don’t drink wine to drunkenness, and don’t let drunkenness go with you on your way.
what you yourself hate, do to no man. This is an Old Testament version of the “Golden Rule!”
The Lord Jesus commands us Christians:
Matthew 7:12. Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
VERSE 16. Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to those who are naked. Give alms from all your abundance. Don’t let your eye be envious when you give alms.
VERSE 17. Pour out your bread on the burial of the just, and give nothing to sinners.
VERSE 18. Ask counsel of every man who is wise, and don’t despise any counsel that is profitable.
VERSE 19. Bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask of him that your ways may be made straight, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper; for every nation has no counsel; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and he humbles whom he will, as he will. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not be blotted out of your mind.
Bless the Lord your God at all times. Many Christians ask God to bless them.
However, the biblical injunction is the reverse. We are to bless God!
VERSE 20. And now I explain to you about the ten talents of silver, which I left in trust with Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages of Media.
VERSE 21 And fear not, my child, because we are made poor. You have much wealth, if you fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.”
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.