Tobit’s final instructions and death
14 Thus the words of Tobit’s thanks came to an end. He died in peace at the age of 112 and was given an honorable burial in Nineveh. 2 He was 62 years old when he went blind, and after regaining his sight, he lived in wealth and gave to the poor. He continued to praise God and tell about God’s greatness.
3 Now when Tobit was dying, he summoned Tobias his son and seven grandsons[a] and gave him instructions, saying, “My child, take your children 4 and hurry away to Media. I trust God’s word that Nahum[b] spoke about Nineveh; everything will come true and happen to Assyria and Nineveh. Indeed, everything that the prophets of Israel sent by God have said will actually occur. None of their words will fail, and everything will happen in its own time. Thus it will be safer in Media than in Assyria and Babylon. I know then and believe that everything that God has said will be accomplished and come true. Not a single detail of what they have spoken will fail to happen. All our relatives who dwell in the land of Israel will be scattered, and they will be taken away from that good land into captivity. The entire land of Israel will be deserted. Samaria and Jerusalem will be deserted, and after a while even God’s house, still in mourning, will be destroyed by fire.
5 “But God will have mercy on them again. God will bring them back to the land of Israel, and they will rebuild the house, though not like the first one, until the appointed time has been fulfilled.
Afterward, they will all return from the places where they are captives and build Jerusalem in grandeur. God’s house will be built in it, just as Israel’s prophets have predicted about it. 6 Then all the nations of the whole earth will turn and genuinely revere God. They will all leave behind their idols that have deceived them and led them into error. 7 They will praise the eternal God in righteousness. All the Israelites who are delivered in those days, who are genuinely mindful of God, will be gathered together. They will come to Jerusalem and will live forever in the land of Abraham in security, and it will be given to them. Those who genuinely love God will rejoice, while those who commit sin and injustice will be wiped out entirely from the land.
8-9 “So now, my children, I’m giving you this instruction: Serve God with sincerity, and do what pleases him. Teach your children to do what is just and to give to the poor so that they will keep God ever in mind and praise his name at all times in sincerity and with all their strength.
Now, my child, get out of Nineveh and don’t stay here. 10 On the very day when you bury your mother beside me, don’t stay within its borders another night. I see that a lot of iniquity and deception are practiced here, and its people have no sense of shame. My child, take note of what Nadab did to Ahikar, who brought him up. Was he not, even while alive, brought down into the earth? God paid back the dishonorable thing that he did in his presence: Ahikar came back into the light, while Nadab entered into eternal darkness, because he sought to kill Ahikar. By giving to the poor, he escaped the death trap that Nadab laid down for him. Nadab fell into that death trap instead, and it destroyed him.
11 “Now then, my children, see what giving to the poor does and what injustice does. It kills! Now—my life is departing.” And they laid him down on the bed. He died and was buried honorably.
Anna’s and Tobias’ deaths
12 When his mother died, Tobias buried her next to his father. Then he and his wife headed off to Media and lived in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. 13 Tobias took care of them honorably and buried them in Ecbatana of Media. He inherited Raguel’s house as well as his father Tobit’s house. 14 Tobias died honorably at the age of 117 years. 15 Before his death, he saw and heard about the destruction of Nineveh. He saw the Ninevite captives, who had been taken prisoner by King Cyaxares of Media being led away to Media. So he praised God for everything that God had done to the Ninevites and Assyrians. Before dying, he rejoiced over Nineveh and praised the Lord God forever and always.
Footnotes
- Tobit 14:3 OL, cf DSS Aram; LXX1 six; LXX2 omits and seven grandsons.
- Tobit 14:4 OL he (God); LXX1 Jonah