Tobit 12–14: I Am Raphael": The Angel Revealed, the Song for Jerusalem, and the Last Burials

And Tobit called his son Tobias, and said to him, “See, my child, that the man which went with you have his wages, and you must give him more.”

And he said to him, “Father, it is no harm to me to give him the half of those things which I have brought; for he has led me for you in safety, and he cured my wife, and brought my money, and likewise cured you.”

The old man said, “It is due to him.”

And he called the angel, and said to him, “Take half of all that you have brought.”

Then he called them both privately, and said to them, “Bless God, and give him thanks, and magnify him, and give him thanks in the sight of all that live, for the things which he has done with you. It is good to bless God and exalt his name, showing forth with honor the works of God. Don’t be slack to give him thanks. It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God. Do good, and evil won’t find you. Good is prayer with fasting, alms, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. Alms delivers from death, and it purges away all sin. Those who give alms and do righteousness will be filled with life; but those who sin are enemies to their own life. Surely I will conceal nothing from you. I have said, ‘It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God.’ And now, when you prayed, and Sarah your daughter-in-law, I brought the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One. When you buried the dead, I was with you likewise. And when you didn’t delay to rise up, and leave your dinner, that you might go and cover the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me. I was with you. And now God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels which present the prayers of the saints and go in before the glory of the Holy One.”

And they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces; for they were afraid. And he said to them, “Don’t be afraid. You will all have peace; but bless God forever. For I came not of any favor of my own, but by the will of your God. Therefore bless him forever. All these days I appeared to you. I didn’t eat or drink, but you all saw a vision. Now give God thanks, because I ascend to him who sent me. Write in a book all the things which have been done.” Then they rose up, and saw him no more. They confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.

And Tobit wrote a prayer for rejoicing, and said,

Then Tobit finished giving thanks. He was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight. After eight years, he received it again. He gave alms and he feared the Lord God more and more, and gave thanks to him.

Now he grew very old; and he called his son with the six sons of his son, and said to him, “My child, take your sons. Behold, I have grown old, and am ready to depart out of this life. Go into Media, my child, for I surely believe all the things which Jonah the prophet spoke of Nineveh, that it will be overthrown, but in Media there will rather be peace for a season. Our kindred will be scattered on the earth from the good land. Jerusalem will be desolate, and the house of God in it will be burned up, and will be desolate for a time. God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into the land, and they will build the house, but not like to the former house, until the times of that age are fulfilled. Afterward they will return from the places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem with honor. The house of God will be built in it forever with a glorious building, even as the prophets spoke concerning it. And all the nations will turn to fear the Lord God truly, and will bury their idols. All the nations will bless the Lord, and his people will give thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt his people; and all those who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice, showing mercy to our kindred. And now, my child, depart from Nineveh, because those things which the prophet Jonah spoke will surely come to pass. But you must keep the law and the ordinances, and show yourself merciful and righteous, that it may be well with you. Bury me decently, and your mother with me. Don’t stay at Nineveh. See, my child, what Aman did to Achiacharus who nourished him, how out of light he brought him into darkness, and all the recompense that he made him. Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his recompense, and he went down into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snare of death which he set for him; but Aman fell into the snare, and perished. And now, my children, consider what alms does, and how righteousness delivers.”

While he was saying these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed; but he was one hundred fifty eight years old. Tobias buried him magnificently. When Anna died, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and his sons to Ecbatana to Raguel his father-in-law, and he grew old in honor, and he buried his father-in-law and mother-in-law magnificently, and he inherited their possessions, and his father Tobit’s. He died at Ecbatana of Media, being one hundred twenty seven years old. Before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, which Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus took captive. Before his death, he rejoiced over Nineveh.