Tobit 4

Tobit Chapter 4

1In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in Rages of Media,

2And said with himself, I have wished for death; wherefore do I not call for my son Tobias that I may signify to him of the money before I die?

3And when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead, bury me; and despise not thy mother, but honour her all the days of thy life, and do that which shall please her, and grieve her not.

4Remember, my son, that she saw many dangers for thee, when thou wast in her womb: and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.

5My son, be mindful of the Lord our God all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments: do uprightly all thy life long, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness.

6For if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them that live justly.

7Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.

8If thou hast abundance give alms accordingly: if thou have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little:

9For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.

10Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness.

11For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.

12Beware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of the seed of thy fathers, and take not a strange woman to wife, which is not of thy father's tribe: for we are the children of the prophets, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: remember, my son, that our fathers from the beginning, even that they all married wives of their own kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.

13Now therefore, my son, love thy brethren, and despise not in thy heart thy brethren, the sons and daughters of thy people, in not taking a wife of them: for in pride is destruction and much trouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness is the mother of famine.

14Let not the wages of any man, which hath wrought for thee, tarry with thee, but give him it out of hand: for if thou serve God, he will also repay thee: be circumspect my son, in all things thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.

15Do that to no man which thou hatest: drink not wine to make thee drunken: neither let drunkenness go with thee in thy journey.

16Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; and according to thine abundance give alms: and let not thine eye be envious, when thou givest alms.

17Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked.

18Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.

19Bless the Lord thy God alway, and desire of him that thy ways may be directed, and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper: for every nation hath not counsel; but the Lord himself giveth all good things, and he humbleth whom he will, as he will; now therefore, my son, remember my commandments, neither let them be put out of thy mind.

20And now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents to Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages in Media.

21And fear not, my son, that we are made poor: for thou hast much wealth, if thou fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.

Footnotes (8)

Verse 1 [*]When: When. Greek and Hebrew and the old Vulgate, (Calmet) “That very day Tobit remembered the money which he had deposited with Gabael….and said within himself, I begged for death; why do I not call Tobias, my son, that I may...
Verse 3 [*]Life: Life. St. Augustine (Conf. x. 34) cries out, “O Light, which Tobias had in view, when these corporal eyes being closed, he taught his son the way of life.”
Verse 5 [*]By me: By me. Greek adds, “in the same sepulchre,” like the patriarchs. Pope Leo decreed: statuimus unumquemque in sepulchro suorum majorum jacere.
Verse 7 [*]Substance: Substance. Be not liberal of another’s property. Greek adds, “and let not thy eye be envious, when thou givest alms.” Do it generously. (Calmet) — The same doctrine of the reward of good works, occurs [in] Daniel iv. 24....
Verse 9 [*]Little: Little. God regards the affections more than the gift. (Calmet)
Verse 11 [*]Sin: Sin, provided faith, &c., be not wanting. (Menochius) — When the Scripture seems to attribute salvation to one virtue, to faith, repentance, &c., it always presupposes that the heart is free from all mortal guilt. (Haydo...
Verse 12 [*]Give it: Give it, with true charity, 1 Corinthians xiii. 3. (Calmet)
Verse 13 [*]Crime: Crime, or any commerce with another. (Haydock) — Greek and Hebrew add, conformable to the law, (Exodus xxxiv. 16.) “And take not a strange woman, who may not be of thy father’s tribe, as we are the sons of the prophets, ...

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Verse 1 • WhenGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

When. Greek and Hebrew and the old Vulgate, (Calmet) “That very day Tobit remembered the money which he had deposited with Gabael….and said within himself, I begged for death; why do I not call Tobias, my son, that I may declare it to him before I die? And calling him, he said: Son, if I die, bury me, and despise not thy mother.” (Haydock) — He gives him fourteen instructions, in imitation of Moses and David, 3 Kings ii. (Worthington)

Verse 3 • LifeGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Life. St. Augustine (Conf. x. 34) cries out, “O Light, which Tobias had in view, when these corporal eyes being closed, he taught his son the way of life.”

Verse 5 • By meGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

By me. Greek adds, “in the same sepulchre,” like the patriarchs. Pope Leo decreed: statuimus unumquemque in sepulchro suorum majorum jacere.

Verse 7 • SubstanceGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Substance. Be not liberal of another’s property. Greek adds, “and let not thy eye be envious, when thou givest alms.” Do it generously. (Calmet) — The same doctrine of the reward of good works, occurs [in] Daniel iv. 24. (Worthington)

Verse 9 • LittleGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Little. God regards the affections more than the gift. (Calmet)

Verse 11 • SinGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Sin, provided faith, &c., be not wanting. (Menochius) — When the Scripture seems to attribute salvation to one virtue, to faith, repentance, &c., it always presupposes that the heart is free from all mortal guilt. (Haydock) — Alms deeds may procure a fresh supply of graces. (Menochius) — Darkness, or hell, which is thus represented, Matthew viii. 12., and xxii. 13., and Ephesians vi. 12.

Verse 12 • Give itGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Give it, with true charity, 1 Corinthians xiii. 3. (Calmet)

Verse 13 • CrimeGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Crime, or any commerce with another. (Haydock) — Greek and Hebrew add, conformable to the law, (Exodus xxxiv. 16.) “And take not a strange woman, who may not be of thy father’s tribe, as we are the sons of the prophets, Noe, &c. ….All these married from among their brethren, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.” (Haydock)

Tobit 4

Footnotes (8)

Tobit 4 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

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