The Book of Tobit is a work of Second Temple Jewish literature dating to the third or early second century BC. It is included among the deuterocanonical books in Catholic and Orthodox Christianity and is regarded as apocryphal in Protestant traditions. The book highlights themes of divine testing, the power of prayer, and God’s protection of the covenant people of Israel.
The narrative centers on two Israelite families living in exile. Tobit, a devout but impoverished man in Nineveh, becomes blind. In distant Ecbatana, Sarah suffers misfortune because a demon, Asmodeus, kills her suitors on their wedding nights. Tobit sends his son Tobias to retrieve money previously deposited in Media. Along the way, Tobias is guided by the angel Raphael (in human disguise). Raphael instructs him to use parts of a fish they catch to drive away the demon afflicting Sarah and later to restore Tobit’s sight. Tobias marries Sarah, and upon returning home, Tobit’s blindness is miraculously cured.
Since the twentieth century, scholars have generally agreed that Tobit was originally written in a Semitic language. Fragments in both Aramaic and Hebrew were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls, supporting this view. The book circulated widely in antiquity and survives in multiple Greek recensions, Old Latin texts, and major early Christian codices, as well as in later translations into Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, and Arabic.
Early Christian writers frequently cited or echoed Tobit. It appears in the writings of figures such as Polycarp and Origen, and it was known in diverse Christian communities. At the same time, Rabbinic Judaism from the second century onward did not include Tobit in the Hebrew canon. Church Fathers such as Jerome acknowledged that Jewish authorities did not accept the book, though Christian communities continued to copy and read it. Medieval Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts show that the book’s transmission did not entirely cease in Jewish contexts.
Today, Tobit is considered canonical in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Protestant traditions classify it as Apocrypha—valuable for instruction but not part of the biblical canon. Most modern scholars describe it as a didactic religious tale or novella set within a historical framework rather than as a strictly historical account.
Structure and Summary
The book contains fourteen chapters and can be divided into five main parts:
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Prologue (1:1–2) – Introduction to Tobit of the tribe of Naphtali, exiled to Nineveh.
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Life in Nineveh and Ecbatana (1:3–3:17) – Tobit’s piety, blindness, and prayer for death; Sarah’s affliction and prayer.
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Tobias’s Journey (4:1–12:22) – Tobias’s travels with Raphael, marriage to Sarah, and healing of Tobit.
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Tobit’s Hymn and Final Words (13:1–14:2) – Praise of God and prophecy of restoration.
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Epilogue (14:3–15) – Tobit’s death and exhortation to live righteously.
The story portrays Tobit as faithful to the Law even in exile. His blindness results from an accidental incident involving birds, and his despair parallels Sarah’s suffering. God hears both prayers and sends Raphael to intervene. Tobias defeats the demon, marries Sarah, and returns home, where Tobit’s sight is restored. The narrative closes with reflections on exile, judgment, and eventual restoration of Israel.
Themes and Significance
Tobit blends prayer, moral instruction, humor, adventure, and folklore. It addresses Jewish communities living in the diaspora, offering guidance on preserving identity and righteousness outside the land of Israel. Major themes include:
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God’s testing and mercy
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The intercession of angels
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The value of almsgiving and prayer
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Filial obedience and family loyalty
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Respect for the dead
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The sanctity of marriage
Because of its praise of marital fidelity, Tobit is often read at Christian wedding liturgies. It is also cited doctrinally for its teachings on almsgiving and angelic intercession.
Composition and Manuscripts
Two principal Greek versions survive: a longer form (represented by Codex Sinaiticus) and a shorter form (found in Vaticanus and Alexandrinus). The Dead Sea Scroll fragments align more closely with the longer Greek version, which has become the basis of most modern translations.
The story is set in the eighth century BC, but scholars generally date its composition between 225 and 175 BC. While some suggest a Judean or Egyptian origin, a Mesopotamian setting is often considered plausible given the geographical and cultural references in the narrative.
Canonical Status
Tobit appears in the Septuagint but not in the Jewish Masoretic Text. It was affirmed as canonical by several early church councils (including Rome, Hippo, Carthage, Florence, and Trent) and remains part of the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canon. Protestant traditions, following the Hebrew canon, exclude it from the Old Testament but retain it in the Apocrypha section in many historic editions.
Some early Christian writers described it as “ecclesiastical” rather than strictly canonical, yet it was widely read and respected. Its exclusion from the Jewish canon has been attributed to various factors, including its late date, theological themes, or literary genre.
Influence
Tobit has had lasting influence in Christian theology, art, and culture. The motif of “Tobias and the Angel” became especially popular in European art, symbolizing divine guidance and protection. Artists such as Rembrandt produced notable works inspired by the story.
Through its narrative of faithfulness, suffering, and restoration, Tobit has remained a meaningful and enduring part of the religious imagination in Christian tradition.
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