HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

TOBIAS 5

CHAPTER V.

Ver. 2. I cannot. Gr. "as I know him not; and he gave him the handwriting, and said to him: Seek," &c. H. --- The Gr. &c. had not before noticed this token. C. --- Hitherto Tobit had spoken in the first person. H.

Ver. 5. Beautiful; resplendent with celestial majesty. C. --- Gr. "he found Raphael, who was an angel, and he knew it not, and said to him: Canst thou go with me to Rages, of Media, and art thou acquainted with the places?" H. --- This angel prefigured Jesus Christ, who took indeed Our human nature. V. Bede. W.

Ver. 7. Israel. This is not in Greek, &c. But the old Vulg. has, "Raphael answered, of the children of Israel, thy brethren, I am come hither for work," (H.) or employment. C.

Ver. 8. Often. Gr. "lodged with Gabael, our brother, and Tobias," &c.

Ver. 11. He saluted. Gr. "they saluted each other." H. --- The rest till v. 16, is omitted also in Syr. and Fagius. But the Heb. of Munster nearly agrees with the Vulg. C.

Ver. 18. But lest. Gr. Comp. "and Tobit said, brother, I wish to know thy race and thy name. But he replied, I am of the race of Azarias, and of Ananias, who is also thy brother." Whitaker would have this to be a lie. H. --- But the apparitions of angels are not to be examined by the ordinary rules of life. They take the name of God without scruple, as they acted in his name. Gen. xxxi. 11. C. M. T. --- Azarias. The angel took the form of Azarias; and therefore might call himself by the name of the man whom he personated. Azarias, in Hebrew, signifies the help of God; and Ananias, the grace of God. Ch. --- Tobias had not inquired whether he was a man or an angel, as Houbigant answers the objection of Prideaux. H. --- The "help and medicine of God" nearly correspond. W.

Ver. 19. Thy family. Gr. Syr. &c. add, "Thou art my brother, of a noble and good race. For I know Ananias and Jonathan, sons of the great Semei, as we went together to Jerusalem to adore, carrying the first-born, and tithes of the produce; and they did not join in the error of their brethren. Thou art of a great stock, brother. But tell me what reward I shall give thee? A drachm a day, and what may be requisite for thee and for my son. And I will give more than the hire if you return in health. And they agreed; and he said to Tobias, Be in readiness for the journey, and may you be directed: and his son prepared the requisites for the journey," &c. H.

Ver. 22. Then all. It was not easy to procure provisions on the road. --- Together. Gr. and Syr. add, (C.) "and the dog of the child with them."

Ver. 27. Angel. This was the persuasion of the ancient Hebrews, approved by the gospel. Mat. xviii. 10. Some of the fathers also believed that each person had an evil angel tempting him to sin. Orig. S. Greg. Nys. Vit. Mosis. Cassian, col. viii. 17. C. --- But this opinion is discarded. H.