Tobit An apocryphal book

Which tribe of Israel is Tobit from? Judah Dan Naphtali Asher

Where did Tobit live? Nineveh Babylon Jerusalem Media

Why did the King exile Tobit? Tobit didn’t pay his taxes Assassination plans had been found at Tobit’s house Tobit was spreading gossip and lies about the King He buried dead Israelites

What problem did Sarah have? Her father was sick Nobody wanted to marry her Her husbands kept dying The King was angry with her

Who is Tobit’s son? Thomas Sargon Elijah Tobiah

What is the name of the demon who causes problems? Lucifer Asmodeus Baphomet Naga

What is the name of the angel who God sends to help? Gabriel Ariel Michael Raphael

What health problem does Tobit get? It’s so sad Tobit becomes blind He breaks his leg Leprosy Tobit gets cancer

What does the angel tell the son to do with the fish? Eat it for breakfast Throw it back in the river Give it to the King Take out the internal organs and save them

What does Tobiah do to scare Asmodeus away? Calls another angel to help Puts cats in the room Burns the fish organs he saved from earlier Sings a magical song

What did you find interesting in the story?

What did you not enjoy in the story?

Summary There’s a good man named Tobit living in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. He is a descendent of the Israelites taken into slavery by the Assyrians. He is a faithful Israelite and wants to bury Israelites who die properly, which gets Him in trouble with King Sennacherib. Tobit is exiled from the city for a few years. He comes back once the King dies but soon becomes blind. In the meantime in Persia, there is a woman named Sarah with a very big problem. She is being harassed by a demon named Asmodeus. Every time Sarah marries, Asmodeus kills her new husband on the wedding night. Soon, people think she is cursed God sends the angel Raphael to solve these problems. Raphael disguises himself as a human and claims that he is a relative to Tobit’s family. He offers to help the family. Tobias, Tobit’s son, and Raphael go on a journey to Persia.

Summary While along the Tigris River, a fish tries to eat Tobiah while Tobiah is washing in the river. Raphael tells Tobiah to kill it and keep the fish’s internal organs. When they get to Persia, Raphael tells Tobiah about Sarah, and that’d it’d be good for Tobiah to marry her. Tobiah and Sarah marry, and Raphael tells Tobiah to burn the fish organs on the wedding night. The demon, Asmodeus, runs away to Egypt because of the smell. Raphael chases after Asmodeus and captures him. The wedding celebrations continue so Tobiah asks Raphael to run some errands. After the party, Tobiah takes Sarah to Nineveh. Raphael joins them and tells Tobiah to use the burn fish organs on Tobit’s eyes. Tobit’s sight is restored! Raphael tells everyone that he’s an angel. Everyone praises God. Tobit tells Tobiah and Sarah to leave Nineveh because God’s judgement will come on the city. Tobiah makes Persia his new home.

Why is Tobit not included in the Protestant canon? After all, it has some good things: piety, honoring one’s parents, giving alms to the poor, intercessory prayer, marriage, and following the Law. 

Internal Problems Historical errors- Tobit 1:15 incorrectly notes that Sennacherib was Shalmaneser’s son, rather than the son of Sargon II. Also, Tobit seems to imply that he was alive during the reign of Jeroboam I (about 930 B.C.), but at his death he was reported to be 117 years old.  Theological errors- Tobit says that almsgiving will save someone. The NT says that we are saved by faith alone. Raphael’s suggestions seem more like magic rather than God’s power at work.

External Problems Affirmation by others- The book of Tobit is not referenced to or quoted by other Books of the Old Testament or the New Testament. Few copies and references- The Book of Tobit does not appear to be as widely used by the community of believers by the fact that few fragments and copies are found compared to other book of the Bible.