Tobit's Life in Nineveh
Tobit 1
Tobit tells of his descent from the tribe of Nephthali, his captivity in Nineveh under the Assyrian kings, and how he alone kept the worship of the Lord and gave alms and tithes while his kinsmen turned to idolatry. He also describes secretly burying the bodies of slain Israelites despite the king's wrath, which cost him his goods and forced him into hiding until his nephew Achiacharus obtained his return.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
1
BrentonThe book of the words of Tobit, the son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asael, of the tribe of Nephthali;
GreekΒΙΒΛΟΣ λόγων Τωβὶτ, τοῦ Τωβιὴλ, τοῦ Ανανιὴλ, τοῦ Ἀδουὴλ, τοῦ Γαβαήλ, ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος Ἀσιήλ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Νεφθαλί,
2
Brentonwho in the time of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was led captive out of Thisbe, which is at the right hand of that city, which is called properly Nephthali in Galilee above Aser.
Greekὃς ᾐχμαλωτεύθη ἐν ἡμέραις Ἐνεμεσσάρου τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων ἐκ Θίσβης, ἥ ἐστιν ἐκ δεξιῶν κυδίως τῆς Νεφθαλὶ ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ ὑπεράνω Ἀσήρ.
3
BrentonI Tobit have walked all the days of my life in the way of truth and justice, and I did many alms-deeds to my brethren, and my nation, who came with me to Nineve, into the land of the Assyrians.
GreekἘγὼ Τωβὶτ ὁδοῖς ἀληθείας ἐπορευόμην καὶ δικαιοσύνης πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου· καὶ ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς ἐποίησα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μον, καὶ τῷ ἔθνει, τοῖς προπορευθεῖσι μετʼ ἐμοῦ εἰς χώραν Ἀσσυρίων εἰς Νινευή.
4
BrentonAnd when I was in mine own country, in the land of Israel, being but young, all the tribe of Nephthali my father fell from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, and, where the temple of the habitation of the most High was consecrated and built for all ages.
GreekΚαὶ ὅτι ἤμην ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ μου ἐν τῇ γῇ Ἰσραὴλ, νεωτέρου μου ὄντος, πᾶσα φυλὴ τοῦ Νεφθαλὶ τοῦ πατρός μου ἀπέστη ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου Ἰεροσολύμων, τῆς ἐκλεγείσης ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν φυλῶν Ἰσραὴλ, εἰς τὸ θυσιάζειν πάσας τὰς φυλάς· καὶ ἡγιάσθη ὁ ναὸς τῆς κατασκηνώσεως τοῦ ὑψίστου, καὶ ᾠκοδομήθη εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος.
5
BrentonNow all the tribes which together revolted, and the house of my father Nephthali, sacrificed unto the heifer Baal.
GreekΚαὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ αἱ συναποστᾶσαι ἔθυον τῇ Βάαλ τῇ δαμάλει, καὶ ὁ οἶκος Νεφθαλὶ τοῦ πατρός μου.
6
BrentonBut I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it was ordained unto all the people of Israel by an everlasting decree, having the first-fruits and tenths of increase, with that which was first shorn; and them gave I at the altar to the priests the children of Aaron.
GreekΚᾀγὼ μόνος ἐπορευόμην πλεονάκις εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς, καθὼς γέγραπται παντὶ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, ἐν προστάγματι αἰωνίῳ, τὰς ἀπαρχὰς, καὶ τὰς δεκάτας τῶν γεννημάτων, καὶ τὰς πρωτοκουρίας ἔχων, καὶ ἐδίδουν αὐτὰς τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς υἱοῖς ʼΑαρὼν πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον πάντων τῶν γεννημάτων.
7
BrentonThe first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron, who ministered at Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at Jerusalem:
GreekΤὴν δεκάτην ἐδίδουν τοῖς υἱοῖς Λευὶ τοῖς θεραπεύουσιν εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ τὴν δευτέραν δεκάτην ἀπεπρατιζόμην, καὶ ἐπορευόμην καὶ ἐδαπάνων· αὐτὰ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτὸν,
8
Brentonand the third I gave unto them to whom it was meet, as Debora my father's mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father.
Greekκαὶ τὴν τρίτην ἐδίδουν οἷς καθήκει, καθὼς ἐνετείλατο Δεββωρὰ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ πατρός μου, διότι ὀρφανὸς κατελείφθην ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου.
9
BrentonFurthermore, when I was come to the age of a man, I married Anna of mine own kindred, and of her I begat Tobias.
GreekΚαὶ ὅτε ἐγενόμην ἀνήρ, ἔλαβον Ἄνναν γυναῖκα ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς πατριᾶς ἡμῶν· καὶ ἐγέννησα ἐξ αὐτῆς Τωβίαν.
10
BrentonAnd when we were carried away captives to Nineve, all my brethren and those that were of my kindred did eat of the bread of the Gentiles.
GreekΚαὶ ὅτε ᾐχμαλωτίσθημεν εἰς Νινευῆ, πάντες οἱ ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ γένους μου ἤσθιον ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων τῶν ἐθνῶν·
11
BrentonBut I kept myself from eating;
Greekἐγὼ δὲ συνετήρησα τὴν ψυχήν μου μὴ φαγεῖν,
12
Brentonbecause I remembered God with all my heart.
Greekκαθότι ἐμεμνήμην τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ μου.
13
BrentonAnd the most High gave me grace and favour before Enemessar, so that I was his purveyor.
GreekΚαὶ ἔδωκεν ὁ ὕψιστος χάριν καὶ μορφὴν ἐνώπιον Ἐνεμεσσάρου, καὶ ἤμην αὐτοῦ ἀγοραστής.
14
BrentonAnd I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages a city of Media, ten talents of silver.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπορευόμην εἰς τὴν Μηδίαν, καὶ παρεθέμην Γαβαήλῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ Γαβρία ἐν Ῥάγοις τῆς Μηδίας, ἀργυρίου τάλαντα δέκα.
15
BrentonNow when Enemessar was dead, Sennacherib his son reigned in his stead; whose estate was troubled, that I could not go into Media.
GreekΚαὶ ὅτε ἀπέθανεν Ἐνεμεσσὰρ, ἐβασίλευσε Σενναχηρὶμ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ ἠκαταστάθησαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι ἠδυνάσθην πορευθῆναι εἰς τὴν Μηδίαν.
16
BrentonAnd in the time of Enemessar I gave many alms to my brethren, and gave my bread to the hungry,
GreekΚαὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἐνεμεσσάρου ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς ἐποίουν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου·
17
Brentonand my clothes to the naked: and if I saw any of my nation dead, or cast about the walls of Nineve, I buried him.
Greekτοὺς ἄρτους μου ἐδίδουν τοῖς πεινῶσι, καὶ ἱμάτια τοῖς γυμνοῖς· καὶ εἴ τινα ἐκ τοῦ γένους μου ἐθεώρουν τεθνηκότα καὶ ἐῤῥιμμένον ὀπίσω τοῦ τείχους Νινευή, ἔθαπτον αὐτόν.
18
BrentonAnd if the king Sennacherib had slain any, when he was come, and fled from Judea, I buried them privily; for in his wrath he killed many; but the bodies were not found, when they were sought for of the king.
GreekΚαὶ εἴ τινα ἀπέκτεννε Σενναχηρὶμ ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὅτε ἦλθε φεύγων ἐκ τῆς Ἰιυδαίας, ἔθαψα αὐτοὺς κλέπτων· πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐζητήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ σώματα, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη.
19
BrentonAnd when one of the Ninevites went and complained of me to the king, that I buried them, and hid myself; understanding that I was sought for to be put to death, I withdrew myself for fear.
GreekΠορευθεὶς δὲ εἷς τῶν ἐν Νινευῇ, ὑπέδειξε τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ ὅτι θάπτω αὐτοὺς, και ἐκρύβην· ἐπιγνοὺς δὲ ὅτι ζητοῦμαι ἀποθανεῖν, φοβηθεὶς ἀνεχώρησα.
20
BrentonThen all my goods were forcibly taken away, neither was there any thing left me, beside my wife Anna and my son Tobias.
GreekΚαὶ διηρπάγη πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη μοι οὐδὲν, πλὴν Ἄννας τῆς γυναικός μου, καὶ Τωβὶου τοῦ υἱοῦ μου.
21
BrentonAnd there passed not fifty days, before two of his sons killed him, and they fled into the mountains of Ararath; and Sarchedonus his son reigned in his stead; who appointed over his father's accounts, and over all his affairs, Achiacharus my brother Anael's son.
GreekΚαὶ οὐ διῆλθον ἡμέρας πεντήκοντα, ἕως οὗ ἀπέκτειναν αὐτὸν οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὰ ὄρη Ἀραράθ· καὶ ἐβασίλευσε Σαχερδονὸς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔταξεν Ἀχιάχαρον τὸν Ἀναὴλ υἱὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκλογιστίαν τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν διοίκησιν.
22
BrentonAnd Achiacharus intreating for me, I returned to Nineve. Now Achiacharus was cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and steward, and overseer of the accounts: and Sarchedonus appointed him next unto him: and he was my brother's son.
GreekΚαὶ ἠξίωσεν Ἀχιάχαρος περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Νινευή. Ἀχιάχαρος δὲ ἦν ὁ οἰνοχόος, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ δακτυλίου, καὶ διοικητὴς, καὶ ἐκλογιστὴς, καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ὁ Σαχερδονὸς· ἐκ δευτέρας, ἦν δὲ ἐξάδελφός μου.