What. Greek, Hebrew and Syriac (Calmet), “See thou give the man who has come with thee his hire, and something must be added to it;” (Haydock) as he had promised (chap. vii. 19.) a drachm a day, (Calmet) and more if they returned safe. (Haydock)
Said. Greek, “Father, I shall not be hurt if I give him half of what I have brought, since he has conducted me safe back to thee, and has healed my wife, and brought my money, and likewise has cured thee. And the old man said, he justly deserves it. And he called the angel, and said to him, Take half of what you have brought, and depart in health. Then,” ver. 6.
Said. Greek, “Calling the two, in private, he said to them.”
Hide. Greek, “To bless God, and to extol his name, exposing with honour the words of God, and delay not to confess unto him. For,” &c. (Haydock) — The Old Vulgate greatly abridges the remainder of this book, having only, “Then Raphael having called the two Tobies, said to them, Since thou hast not delayed to arise, and to leave thy meals to bury the dead, I have been sent to try thee to heal thee, and to deliver thy daughter-in-law. I am Raphael, one of the angels who assist and appear before the brightness of God. Hereupon the two Tobies were startled, and fell prostrate on the ground, and were seized with fear. And Raphael said, Fear not, Peace be with you. Bless the Lord all the days of your life, and sing his praises. You thought that I eat when I was at table with you. But you saw with your eyes; (Haydock; only a vision, Calmet) wherefore bless the Lord upon the earth, and praise his goodness. As for me, I return to him who sent me. Write down all that has happened. The angel having spoken thus to Tobias, the latter wrote this prayer as a monument of his joy, and said, Blessed be the Lord, who is great in eternity, because his reign endures for ever. It is He who strikes, and who shews mercy, who conducts to the grave, and who, by his majesty, rescues from the greatest miseries; and no one can withdraw himself from his hands. End of Tobias the just.” (Haydock) — King. Secrecy is the soul of human councils, to prevent an enemy from thwarting our designs: but nothing can withstand the divine power. It is therefore proper to testify our gratitude for favours received, as the ancient saints have done by their canticles. (Calmet)
Alms. Greek adds, “and justice. Better is a little with justice, than much with iniquity.” (Haydock) — Fasting and alms are like the wings of prayer. (Worthington) See chap. iv. 11.
Everlasting. This word is not found in Greek, though sufficiently implied; as liberality does not always secure a person’s life, or temporal happiness. (Calmet) — Greek, “Those who perform alms-deeds and justice, shall be filled with life. But sinners are enemies,” &c.
Soul. If this were understood of the present life, nothing could be less accurate, as the wicked often prosper. See Psalm x. 6., and John xii. 25. (Calmet)
I. Greek, “I will not hide from you any word or thing. I said then, It is good to conceal the mystery of the king, but glorious to manifest the works of God. And now, when thou and thy daughter-in-law, Sarra, did pray, I brought forward the memorial of your prayer before the holy one.” (Haydock) — The angels are represented as God’s ministers, offering our prayers to him, Apocalypse viii. 3. (Calmet) (St. Augustine) (Worthington) — Philo styles them ambassadors. Socrates says, “every demon (or good spirit) is between God and mortals.” (Plutarch) — Inter homines cælicolasque, vectores hinc precum, inde donorum. (Apuleius de Deo Socrat.) (Calmet) — Greek continues, “and when thou didst bury the dead, in like manner, I was present with thee; when thou didst not delay to rise and leave thy dinner, that going thou mightest cover the dead; in thy good work, thou wast not hidden from me: but I was with thee. And,” &c., ver. 14. (Haydock)