The Honesty of the Essay of Tobit

1. The Trustworthiness of the Volume of Tobit The Tome of Tobit 1 is a vivid tapestry of a saga woven mounted in multiple threads of culture along with influences. “Dark and basically full of fun humor, humorless theological reflection, cross-cultural borrowing, and basically a inventive appropriation of Israel’s sacred practices”2 mesh with intertwine to form the warp and basically woof of a narrative that pivots on the memories of two exilic families3 afflicted and more than that misfortunes which are all later resolved thanks to God’s providential orchestration of events. The author weaves as one Jewish and non-Jewish literary fundamentals to craft an en-tertaining, encouraging and more than that edifying chronicle about Jewish life placed in the Di-aspora, demonstrating that God always responds to the righteousness of his citizens, albeit sometimes taking place in ways not immediately evident. Given the presence of multiple types plus sources of equipment for the account, it is babyish wonder that literary critics have questioned the principle of Tobit. Some scholars are convinced that the paperback achieved its recent shape lone after a long progression of interpolations.4 Along its literary course, the core picture grew with accrued sloted in a large choice of sources 1 Emerge this comprehend, I will fork out the Greek-derived name Tobit as most contemporary translations of the booklet render it. Mounted in GII, the Sinaiticus recension, the name of Tobit is spelled Twbiq as well as Twbit put in GI, the Vaticanus/Alexandrinus/Venetus recension. It is a translation of the Semitic name ybwj which is a hypocoristicon, a shortened or pet name for either hybwj which means “Yahweh is my good,“ or laybwj which means “God is my good.“ MOORE, Tobit, 99-100; VÍLCHEZ, Tobías y Judit, 56; FITZMYER, Tobit (CEJL), 92-93. Cf. also PIKE, Names, Hypocoristic, 1017-1018. Taking place in the Vetus Latina, the name appears as Thobis plus Tobias occur the Vulgate. Milik may in good physical shape be the earliest to mention that put in the Qumran fragments of Tobit the name of the father is ybwj while the son is called hybwj. MILIK, La patrie de Tobie, n.2, 522. 2 NICKELSBURG, Jewish Literature between the Bible and also the Mishnah, 30. 3 That the story does not gloss once again domestic crises exhibits a dose of realism. For a discussion of the familial tensions taking place in Tobit, see CALDUCH-BENAGES, El Libro de Tobías, una historia de familia, 49-60; PETRAGLIO, Tobit e Anna: Un cammino difficile nella crisi, 385-402. 4 Installed in the estimation of Kaiser, the diachronic analyses of Deselaers with Rabenau, whose works are discussed below, have noticeably shown that Tobit, as it now is, reflects an extensive literary pressure group. KAISER, The Old Testament Apocrypha, 35. 8 The Reliability of the Book of Tobit and sometimes ethnicities as redactors worked along with reworked the chronicle for specific purposes. The apparent incongruities occured the portrayal are alleged to be the natural upshot of such redaction annals. Had the Second Temple chalk talk Jewish author of Tobit employed the postmodern prac-tice of thorough footnoting, the subject would have been easily settled. As it stands, there does initially seem to be some validity to the claim that Tobit underwent major accretions and basically expansions. Happen other words, whether Tobit is a product of considerable additions by an as-sortment of redactors or essentially a effort of one author will be the concern of the chapter. 1.1 Indications of Redaction Certain basics taking place in the sketch, such as the eschatological tone of To-bit 13–14, the references to Ahiqar (cf. Tob 1:22; 11:18 and basically 14:10), the change mounted in picture voice, the intrusion of two cases of speeches and extensive proverbial admonitions emerge Tobit 4 and sometimes 12, formal instances of devout prayer, an angelic indication in a folktale that has been about a jour-ney and certainly a marriage, as hale as well as hearty as textual pluriformity of Tobit, have all provided grounds for source critics to question the unusual values of the manuscript.5 Narrative inconsistencies, such as the opposing claims of Tob 2:1 as well as Tob 1:20, and also the sequentially awkward occurrence involving Anna with her goat pictured in Tob 2:11-14,6 are also alleged to reveal minor rips along with tears set in the fabric of the story, thereby demonstrating a later redactional occupation. We currently comprehend some of the substantial evidence for such an assertion. 1.1.1 Tobit 13 in addition to 14 An oft-cited argument for additional layers occured the report is the pres-ence of Tobit 13 and 14. With the concluding banquet emerge Tobit 11 and the angelic revelation emerge Tobit 12, the plot at this point has stirred the reader to expect Tobit’s personal praise and thanksgiving for historic

2. 5 FITZMYER, Tobit (CEJL), 42. Zimmermann also guidelines out essentials that seem to indi-cate the evolution of a long the journey of storytelling. ZIMMERMANN, The Manuscript of Tobit, 11. 6 Cf. AUNEAU, Écrits didactiques, 358. ZAPELLA, Tobit, 14-15, notes that the lack of thought to depiction details is intentional. The non-natural notes make for a charming description. Indications of Redaction 9 restored and sometimes salvation received. Then again the reader encounters an ostensi-bly anti-cathartic exhortation to national confession of sins happen the hopes of receiving God’s mercy. Tobit also predicts the majestic rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple as hale and sometimes hearty as the restoration of the Dispersed to the country. As such, these parts are probably “mere appendices.”7 Furthermore, the hymnic praise of chapter 13 seems to address practi-cally nothing of the personal experiences of Tobit and certainly his family as re-counted emerge the picture.8 At the same time, the break of the memoirs does not echo or refer to this eschatological position which dominates the psalm. The said chapters stand out for their apocalyptic imagery plus Zion theology.9 Thus, its link to the vacation of the account that has been so per-sonal is difficult to ascertain.10 Pictured in fact, David Flusser dismisses the relevance of chapter 13 to Tobit, classifying it as the ‘earliest evidence’ of a Second Temple homework eschatological psalm, a genre that arose that is site in Israel’s yearning for freedom that is site in the shackles of foreign guiding principle and basically placed in Israel’s end-time hopes tied to Jerusalem.11 7 ROST, Judaism outside the Hebrew Canon, 62-63. The author, though, notes that the craze of chapter 14 conforms to the leave of the sketch. 8 Groß suggests that since the psalm goes far beyond the experiences of Tobit plus his family plus reflects some literary predisposition as well as 1 Sam 2:1-10, 2 Sam 22:8-51, Jon 2:3-10 and certainly Jud 16:1-17, it probably existed independently in addition to was following inserted into the memoirs. GROß, Tobit.Judith, 51. Cf. also RABENAU, Studien zum Buch Tobit, 67-93, where he reconstructs the psalm’s possible construction story plus insertion that is setting in Tobit. Gamberoni has also expressed surprise that the eschatological element of hope for re-turn after the exile found occured Tobit 13 is not mentioned even emerge passing earlier pictured in Tob 4:12. GAMBERONI, Das ‘Gesetz des Mose’ im Buch Tobias, 231. 9 Wikgren states that the chapter contains an “incipient apocalypticism.“ WIKGREN, Tobit, E-book of, 661. NICKELSBURG, Reports of Biblical and basically Early Post-Biblical Times, 46, notes some parallel apocalyptic motifs put in Tobit. And more than that the psalm’s allusion to Isaiah’s apocalyptic imagery (cf. Isa 2:2-5; 54:11-13; 55:5; 62:2), Feldman thinks that Tobit speaks of the apocalyptic act of Gentile conversion mounted in the time of times when there is no infatuation for Jewish missionary activity. FELDMAN, Jew with Gentile emerge the Ancient World, 290. For a contrary view, see DONALDSON, Judaism along and certainly the Gentiles, 42-45. 10 Cf. DESELAERS, Das Buch Tobit, 42-45; 413-417. 11 FLUSSER, Psalms, Hymns plus Prayers, 556. For the author, the biggest cheerful of such a psalm is the eschatological vision of the New Jerusalem using many biblical pas-sages. Other instances of eschatological psalms include Bar 4:5–5:9 and sometimes Sir 36:1-17. Fitzmyer, but, dismisses Flusser’s judgment. FITZMYER, Tobit (CEJL), 26-27. Whybray thinks that Tobit’s writing of a psalm of praise and certainly thanksgiving represents “a kind of substitute for a sacrifice of thanksgiving which he was unable to offer“ sloted in exile, making it “better likely to have been destined from the initial simply to be devotional poetry to be interpret by individuals.“ WHYBRAY, The Wisdom Psalms, 157-158. For Goettmann, Tobit 13 is a royal and prophetic hymn that echoes Isaiah 54 plus 62 as well as which window tinting films the cycle of seven prayers happen Tobit. GOETTMANN, Le chant de joie du prophète Tobie, 19. 10 The Integrity of the Volume of Tobit Frank Zimmermann, considering the parts from a portrayal point of view, asserts that a later editor contributed chapter 13 as a suitable hymn of praise that's that is venue in sync in addition to Tobit’s figure and sometimes record, as well as appended chapter 14 to provide a enjoyable finale to the straightforward chronicle mounted in Tob 1–12.12 Lawrence M. Wills has pronounced a better stern judgment on the presence of Tobit 13 and sometimes 14 beginning in the portrayal, claiming that the difference occur portrayal mood with redactional inconsistencies, when compared in addition to the spirited center history of the family’s adventures with misadventures taking place in parts 2–12, reveals the hand of a uncaring re-dactor.13 John J. Collins likewise believes that the frame of the account – chap-ter 1 in addition to its accent on Tobit’s piety towards Jerusalem, and certainly chapters 13 plus 14 and more than that their eschatological emphases – are successive accretions to the foundational portrayal because the Jerusalem-oriented concerns evident emerge these passages are not pertinent to the leading account with are unnecessary for its conclusion.14 Pictured in other words, the required storyline, which centers on the Tobit clan and sometimes its righteous suffering, can stand on its own without further elaboration or portrayal brackets. Tobit is a very personal chronicle in addition to communal or national colorations placed in the nar-rative are nothing other than glaring signs of following additions. 1.1.2 The References to Ahiqar

3. From the aforementioned narrative frame, there are references to Ahiqar.15 Some scholars have posited that the appearance of Ahiqar’s name beginning in both the entrance (cf. Tob 1:21-22; 2:10) and more than that concluding sec-tions (cf. Tob 14:10) of the Tobit sketch, argues for following expansion.16 Lothar Ruppert suggests that the final redactor of Tobit contributed the 12 ZIMMERMANN, The Booklet of Tobit, 24-27; 112. The author further makes the at this time dubious claim that these parts were being produced to the center annals as late as 70 C.E. after the devastation of the Jerusalem temple. 13 WILLS, The Jewish Imaginative occur the Ancient World, 86. According to him, the addition of themes such as Jerusalem, piety in addition to persecution was made that is locale in order to configure To-bit to such wisdom heroes like Daniel and basically Joseph. 14 Cf. COLLINS, The Judaism of the Volume of Tobit, 25, who notes that the access as well as closing sections of the history reflect a Judean editing. 15 For the Chronicle of Ahiqar, cf. LINDENBERGER, Ahiqar, 479-507 plus VANDERKAM, Ahikhar/Ahiqar, 113-115. 16 That Ahiqar has an absolutely prevailing logo or profile taking place in Tobit demands depiction. DESELAERS, Das Buch Tobit, 25; 438-448. Cf. also the testimonials of PRIERO, Tobia, 26-27; TOLONI, Tobi e Ahiqar, 157; KOTTSIEPER, Ahiqar, Essay of, 658-662. Indications of Redaction 11 famed Memoirs of Ahiqar into the core record of Tobit to stir in the reader or listener some sort of reminiscence of the Joseph record. After the editor had interpolated Ahiqar, the configured established Tobit goods generated similarities to the saga of Joseph placed in Genesis 37, 39– 50.17 By transforming the sage in addition to statesman Ahiqar into a nephew of Tobit, the redactor most likely going to strengthen the aspect of Heilsgeschichte beginning in the transmitted explanation, actualizing, as it ended up being, the lecture extracted beginning in the creative occasion of the citizens: as God had shown installed in the symbol of Joseph, God would to create a leader who would save his people installed in the folly of Diaspora existence.18 It is also possible that the insertion of Ahiqar into the saga is de-signed to stress the value of compassion with mercy.19 The situation to Ahiqar is a way of exhorting those set in high as well as controlling administra-tive positions to pro their fellow Jews proceed the Diaspora from a manner akin to Ahiqar’s commitment to advantage Tobit happen a time of dependency.20 Simi-larly, Paul Desaelers asserts that the redactor viewed and more than that defined the 17 The parallelism between Ahiqar as well as Joseph is bigger pronounced if the instruction is based on 4QTob196 than placed in the Greek or Old Latin versions. NAB and NRSV trans-late the problematic Greek look ‘kate,sthsen auvto.n o` Sacerdonoj ekv deute,raj’ as “Esarhaddon reappointed him.“ Fitzmyer says that Ahiqar’s status is higher perceptibly described put in 4QTob196: Ahiqar is not simply confirmed or appointed a second time however is actually next or second to the king, that is, as the prevalent minister. FITZMYER, Tobit: 196-200, 8-9; IDEM, The Aramaic in addition to Hebrew Fragments of Tobit, 674-675. Against the Old Latin and more than that Greek textual readings, 4QTob196 is visibly a bigger translate-ing taking place in a portrayal angle: Esarhaddon remunerated the excellence of Ahiqar under Sennacherib’s reign along with an even better office put in his own administration, making Ahiqar second to him. WISE, A Note on 4Q196, 568-569. Thus, just as Joseph was second occured command to Pharaoh (Gen 41:43), so was Ahiqar second to the Assyrian king. CORLEY, Rediscovering Tobit, 25. Just as Joseph provided for his family put in time of famine as well as poverty, so did Ahiqar provided for his kinsman Tobit installed in intricate times. According to Niditch and certainly Doran, but, the stories of Ahiqar and certainly Joseph are not exactly alike. Although both follow the typological pattern of “the triumph account of the wise courtier,“ there is in spite of this a difference between the two testimonies on ac-count of the theological nuance from Joseph: “whereas the wise man generally succeeds as a upshot of his own wisdom, Joseph says that he is able to find an answer to Pha-raoh’s problem individual because of the pro of God.“ NIDITCH/DORAN, The Be successful Chronicle of the Wise Courtier, 187. 18 Cf. RUPPERT, Zur Funktion der Achikar-Notizien, 236-237. Moore, conversely, dis-misses as erroneous Ruppert’s claim that the Ahiqar references are emerge the hand of a successive redactor. MOORE, Scholarly Issues mounted in the Volume of Tobit, 75. 19 Cf. ERBT, Tobit, 4:5111-5117. For Ego, the function of the Ahiqar chronicle put in Tobit is to illustrate the validity of the theory of retribution. EGO, Buch Tobit, 894. 20 Cf. SCHMITT, Die Achikar Notiz bei Tobit, 31. The author also notes that the tutorial of the wise Ahiqar demonstrates that a Jew is capable of serving pagan rulers sloted in the Diaspora without losing Jewish identity. 12 The Dependability of the Book of Tobit relationship of Ahiqar to Tobit in terms of his act of solidarity beginning in Tobit’s time of adversity, a momentous topic pictured in the explanation.21 Finally, to the de-gree that the account emphasizes family and sometimes Tobit’s relative success at court, enough to accumulate a huge sum of large choice, there may be va-lidity to the claim that the narration of Ahiqar was brought proceed to underscore the familial rather than the personal aspect of Tobit’s win proceed the royal court.22

4. The story also contains passing references to Ahiqar’s nephew, Na-dab. Happen Tob 11:19, the text describes Nadab as a beloved cousin who enjoyed the wedding festivities. Conversely, in his dying speech sloted in Tob 14:10, Tobit characterizes him as a villain who betrayed his uncle, a textual reference that agrees with the creative Story of Ahiqar. The dis-crepancy occured the descriptions may indicate the item labor of separate authors.23 1.1.3 The Shift occur Explanation Point of View The sudden picture switch taking place in Tobit’s own voice pictured in Tob 1:3 to an omniscient, third person point of view mounted in Tob 3:7, has also led to suspi-cions of important redactional activity.24 Some suspect that, at the time the modern text was introduced, there may have been many versions of the history that were being to be had as a whole or installed in part. Since the pseudepi-graphic and more than that autobiographical text was deemed better best rated, the re-dactor utilized as well as combined it as well as the third person history by provid-ing a bridge. Thus, installed in crafting a bi-account text of Tobit, the redactor revealed signs of drawing beginning in compound sources.25 Proceed fact, a noticeable description discrepancy sloted in Tobit may be due put in part to “split annals” or group happen picture perspectives. Taking place in Tob 21 Cf. DESELAERS, Das Buch Tobit, 428, where the author identifies the subsequent chiastic arrangement proceed the passage where Ahiqar is introduced: 1. Achikars Verwandschaft mit Tobit (1:21b) 2. Achikars Stellung bei Asarhaddon (1:21b) 3. Achikars Intervention zugunsten Tobits (1:22a) 2‘. Achikars Stellung bei Asarhaddon (1:22b) 1‘. Achikars Verwandschaft mit Tobit (1:22b) 22 GRABBE, Tobit, 737. See also TOLONI, Tobi e Ahiqar, 153-157. 23 Cf. WILLS, The Jewish Creative occur the Ancient World, 87-88. 24 Although Bertrand maintains the description coherence of Tobit, he though sub-scribes to the view that this shift set in portrayal point of view is attributable to redac-tion. BERTRAND, Le chevreau d’Anna, 272. 25 Cf. MILLER, The Redaction of Tobit together and basically the Genesis Apocryphon, 54-56. Indications of Redaction 13 1:6,26 Tobit describes himself as a dutiful Jew who often goes alone to Jerusalem to worship. Set in Tob 5:14, recounted by the omniscient narra-tor, Tobit mentions that kinsmen Ananias and more than that Jathan accompany him when he goes to Jerusalem. It is also somewhat odd that when gossip-ing proceed the opening-person set in Tob 1:10-11, Tobit failed to mention the fact that his wife and certainly son were and him when he was deported, consider-ing that both his wife and more than that son have such a substantial role to play happen the third person section of the picture.27 Uncaring redaction set in sepa-rate sources may in the pink explain such picture incongruities. In addition to being narrated installed in a primary person perspective, the tone of the primary chapter differs placed in that of the prime portrayal. The initial chapter exudes a level of seriousness evident occur the writer’s humorless in spite of this sturdy attempt to connect burial of the dead, persecution and basically vindica-tion, in addition to placed in the narrative-like veneration of the wisdom along with piety of the indication Tobit. This supposedly cinema that a redactor different in that of the biggest depiction, that has been dominantly folkloric, fantastic and sometimes even funny, may be at job.28 1.1.4 The Textual Conferences of Tobit The not easy textual story of Tobit makes matters worse. The dif-ferences happen the surviving texts are alleged to indicate significant layers of redactional vocation.29 Put in paperback evidence, Tobit is preserved occur a number of textual documents that vary pictured in one another.30 The 26 Tob 1:6, kavgw. mo,noj evporeuo,mhn pleona,kij (GII: polla,kij) eivj Ieroso,luma evn tai/j e`ortai/j kaqwj. ge,graptai panti. tw/| Israhl. As the text stands, nevertheless, it is worth noting that the Greek adverb pleona,kij/polla,kij which means ”frequently” or “compound times” rules out the apparent inconsistency since Tobit’s statement can be taken to callous that he went to Jerusalem alone manifold times, and the implication that there were some occasions when his two kinsmen accompanied him. However, DANCY, The Shorter Novels of the Apocrypha, 14, claims that Tobit’s statement to have gone alone to Jerusalem, is “not strictly excellent.” 27 Jerome must have noticed this lack of explanation detail and smoothened it out since the Vulgate (all mounted in third person) reads: “igitur cum captivitatem devenisset cum uxore sua et filio taking place in civitatem Nineve cum omni tribu sua.” See SKEMP, The Vulgate of Tobit, 47-48. 28 WILLS, The Jewish Inventive placed in the Ancient World, 83-85. 29 Cf. for instance, WOJCIECHOWSKI, Assyrian Diaspora as Surroundings, 6.

5. 30 Cf. WEEKS/GATHERCOLE/STUCKENBRUCK, The Paperback of Tobit, which provides a compendium of the texts that is location in the prevalent and certainly medieval customs. Cf. also WAGNER, Polyglotte Tobit-Synopse, which also offers beginning in parallel columns the chief Greek, Latin, as well as Syriac textual conventions. 14 The Dependability of the Hardback of Tobit questions this raises are: which of the textual civilizations greater preserve the innovative form of the Essay of Tobit? Consequently, do numerous versions necessarily prove important redaction? Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Greek and sometimes Latin recensions or translations were being the original evidence of textual wit-nesses that preserved the entire text of Tobit.31 GI, the shorter Greek recension, is a text preserved sloted in the Vaticanus, Alexandrinus along with Venetus codices. GII is the longer Greek recension found taking place in the Codex Sinaiticus of the fourth/fifth century which C. von Tischendorf discovered occur the library of St. Catherine’s monastery taking place in 1844. There is also an interme-diate or mixed recension called GIII, described as “a compromise be-tween the other two Greek recensions, still almost related to GII”.32 Although these categories make for academic convenience, it has to be remembered however that a few of the Greek mss of Tobit cannot be classified and more than that facility according to the categories of GI, GII, as well as GIII due to Sonderlesarten or special types of readings found occured them.33 1.1.4.1 The Priority of GII Tobit scholars have long debated which textual witness finer reflects the Urtext of Tobit. Many agree that GI, the shorter recension, and certainly its summarizing tendencies34 with idiomatic Greek, is a reworking of GII. The GI redactor abridged GII by polishing as well as eliminating various of the 31 A on the market discussion of the various mss and textual nationalities of Tobit falls beyond the scope of the read. Fitzmyer provides a readable and certainly effortless to follow discussion of the scholarship on the textual description of Tobit occured his item. FITZMYER, Tobit (CEJL), 3-17. Also helpful are accounts set in SCHÜRER, The Annals of the Jewish People, 3:227-230; MOORE, Tobit, 53-64; OTZEN, Tobit in addition to Judith, 60-65; LITTMAN, Tobit, xix-xxv; ZAPPELLA, Tobit, 26-29. For present treatments, see the monographs of TOLONI, L’originale del libro di Tobia and HALLERMAYER, Text und Überlieferung des Buches Tobit. 32 FITZMYER, Tobit (CEJL), 5. 33 Cf. NICKLAS/WAGNER, Thesen zur textlichen Vielfalt im Tobitbuch, 141-153. The authors have compared the papyrus fragment 910, GI and basically GII of Tob 2:2-5, 8 as well as con-cluded that few of the Greek mss have special types of readings. For further discus-sions of GIII, cf. WEEKS, Some Neglected Texts of Tobit, 12-42. 34 Cf. RABENAU, Studien zum Buch Tobit, 7: “Die generelle Linie des Bearbeiters liegt mounted in einer Textkürzung.“ Cf. also THOMAS, The Greek Text of Tobit, 468-469. Indications of Redaction 15 latter’s Semiticisms.35 That is surroundings in short, the long Greek version or GII more resembles a Semitic forerunner. This claim finds further support put in the Qumran fragments, which commonly tend to correspond and the long Greek recension.36 In addition to this occur mind, it has been suggested that GII, as vigorous as the Ve-tus Latina supplying the lacunae placed in Tobit 4 and basically 13 placed in the longer recen-sion, can be employed to restore the Urtext of Tobit.37 A higher nuanced suggestion states that though GII is closer to the Semitic Vorlage, it is nonetheless insufficient to reconstruct the original text of Tobit even and basically the lead of the Vetus Latina together plus the Qumran fragments.38 The diffi-culty placed in recreating the Urtext of Tobit may be due to the fact that GI can equally be sloted in a Semitic Vorlage. It is likely that the major Greek re-censions attest to two independent textual civilisations and certainly that both 35 Zimmermann enumerates instances when GI either closely follows or contracts the Si-naiticus text. ZIMMERMANN, The Volume of Tobit, 33; 39-41. Using literary examination, Simpson gathers “overwhelming evidence“ to demonstrate that GI is a modification of GII. He notes that the former reflects prevalent presuppositions with ideas, historical conditions, dutiful civilizations and certainly theological developments later to the latter. SIMPSON, The Principal Recensions of the Booklet of Tobit, 519. Vattioni endorses similar reasons for preferring GII. VATTIONI, Studi e note sul libro di Tobia, 241-284. Em-ploying statistical or word-count appraise, Thomas wants to film that GI is a revision of GII. THOMAS, The Greek Text of Tobit, 465-471. Moore dismisses Thomas’s process of argumentation as fundamentally flawed. MOORE, Scholarly Issues beginning in the Volume of Tobit, 70. Hanhart thinks that the priority of GII is likely. HANHART, Text und Text-geschichte des Buches Tobit, 21-37. For scholars who base their studies on the prior-ity of GII, see VUILLEUMIER, Le livre de Tobit, 7; RABENAU, Studien zum Buch Tobit, 5-7; SCHNUPP, Schutzengel, 45; ENGEL, Das Buch Tobit, 279; MILLER, A Convert of Mar-riage mounted in the E-book of Tobit, 7-12. For scholars who believe occur the priority of GI, see DESELAERS, Das Buch Tobit, 19-20; GROß, Tobit.Judit, 5; KOLLMAN, Göttliche Offenba-rung, n.5, 290-291.

6. 36 Milik the 1st reported that the fragments in the main agree plus the Sinaiticus. MILIK, La patrie de Tobie, 522; IDEM, Dix ans de découvertes dans le désert de Juda, 29. Fitz-myer affirms this claim from his translation and sometimes formation of the Qumran Tobit frag-ments. FITZMYER, Tobit (DJD), 19:2; IDEM, The Aramaic and sometimes Hebrew Fragments of Tobit, 655-675). Nicklas and sometimes Wagner argue yet that “die Tobit-fragmente aus Qumran müssen nicht als Zeugen für die Priorität von S interpretiert werden. Vielmehr lassen sich Indizien aufzeigen, die auf eine freie und vielfaltige Überliefierung des Tobit-Buches bereits put in der semitischen Ursprache hindeuten.” NICKLAS/WAGNER, Thesen zur textlichen Vielfalt im Tobitbuch, 151. 37 Cf. BUSTO SAIZ, Algunas aportaciones, 53-69. Cf. also ZIMMERMAN, The E-book of Tobit, 41, who sees the habit for an eclectic text for Tobit, in addition to DIMANT, The Hardback of Tobit and the Qumran Halakhah, 122, who notes that the Vetus Latina should be employed as a corrective as well as supplement where the Sinaiticus is lacking. 38 Cf. HALLERMAYER, Text und Überlieferung des Buches Tobit, 186-187. She notes that no other biblical e-book before Christ is as polyglot as Tobit. 16 The Principle of the Hardback of Tobit preserve new readings.39 Finally, certain textual discrepancies between the Sinaiticus as in the pink as Vetus Latina indicate that the Sinaiticus text is not necessarily equivalent to the ‘unusual’ long Greek version.40 1.1.4.2 The Semitic Language of Tobit Mounted in which language was Tobit originally written? In addition to the discovery of five Qumran fragments of Tobit, the contemporary scholarly consensus leans toward Semitic as the novel language of the hardback. Sadly, and more than that four fragments pictured in Aramaic (4Q196–4Q199) and certainly one happen Hebrew (4Q200),41 the finds at Qumran did not settle soon after along with for all whether the Semitic language was Hebrew or Aramaic. 4QpapToba ar 4QTobb ar 4QTobc ar 4QTobd ar 4QTobe 4Q196 4Q197 4Q198 4Q199 4Q200 Fr Psg Fr Psg Fr Psg Fr Psg Fr Psg 1 1:17 2 1:19-2:2 3 2:3 4 2:10-11 5 3:5 1 3:6-8 1i 3:6 6 3:9-15 1ii 3:10-11 7 3:17 8 4:2 9 4:5 2 4:3-9 10 4:7 11 4:21-5:1 2 4:21-5:1 3 5:2 12 5:9 3 5:12-14 13 6:6-8 4i 5:19-6:12 14i 6:13-18 4ii 6:12-18 14ii 6:18-7:6 4iii 6:18-7:10 1 7:11 39 Cf. PRIERO, Tobia, 8-11. Cf. also TOLONI, L’originale del libro di Tobia, 63-83; COOK, Our Translated Tobit, 156-157; VELCIC, The Significance of the Relation of 4Qtobite fr. 6 and Greek Texts, 158-160. 40 Cf. WEEKS, Some Neglected Texts of Tobit, 23-24. 41 Milik first stated that three Qumran fragments used to be sloted in Aramaic as well as one put in Hebrew. MILIK, Dix ans de découvertes dans le désert de Juda, 29. Beginning in the latest formation of the Tobit Qumran fragments, Fitzmyer, building on the historic job of Milik, identifies four from Aramaic (4Q196-199) with one pictured in Hebrew (4Q200). FITZMYER, Tobit (DJD), 19:1-76; IDEM, Hebrew and Aramaic Texts of Tobit pictured in Qumran, 419-423. Cf. also SCHMITT, Die hebräischen Textfunde, 566-582; FRÖHLICH, Tobit against the Back-ground of the DSS, 55-58. For an appraisal of Fitzmyer’s work on the fragments, see MORGENSTERN, Language in addition to Literature emerge the Second Temple Study, 130-140. Indications of Redaction 17 4QpapToba ar 4QTobb ar 4QTobc ar 4QTobd ar 4QTobe 4Q196 4Q197 4Q198 4Q199 4Q200 Fr Psg Fr Psg Fr Psg Fr Psg Fr Psg 15 7:13 5 8:17-9:4 4 10:7-9 5 11:10-14 16 12:1

7. 17i 12:18 - 13:6 6 12:20 - 13:4 17ii 13:6-12 7i 13:13-14 18 13:12-14:3 1 14:2-6 7ii 13:18 - 14:2 19 14:7 2 14:10(?) 2 14:10 8 (?) There are scholars who believe that Greek Tobit descended installed in He-brew Tobit.42 Others think that it is more likely that Aramaic is the new language of Tobit even then again definitive proof for it is non-excellent.43 From the end, it is doubtless complicated, if not herculean, to ascer-tain based on lexical criteria which language earliest gave expression to the account of Tobit since all that the Qumran fragments confirm is the fact that Hebrew with Aramaic were being the two usually spoken lan-guages which could have easily exerted mutual force all over again each other all the way through the time of Tobit’s writing.44 Such tome complexity and basically textual pluriformity of Tobit does not militate against the values plus unitary configuration of the hardback. 42 Cf.BEYER, Die aramäischen Texte vom Toten Meer, 134-147. Some have claimed that Tobit 13 was originally written that is set in Hebrew while Tobit 1–12 and sometimes 14 used to be originally from Aramaic. HARL/DORIVAL/MUNNICH, La Bible Grecque des Septante, 85. Wise has also expressed doubts just as before Aramaic as the novel language of Tobit. WISE, A Note on 4Q196, 566. Cf. also SIMONSEN, Tobit-Aphorismen, 2-4; PRIERO, Tobia, 10-11; ALONSO SCHÖKEL, Rut.Tobías.Judit.Ester, 42. 43 Cf. MILIK, Dix ans de découvertes dans le désert de Juda, 29; EISSFELDT, The Old Testament, 585; ZIMMERMANN, The Paperback of Tobit, 145-149; THOMAS, The Greek Text of Tobit, 471; HARRINGTON, Invitation to the Apocrypha, 12. Fitzmyer and basically Moore of-fer out there arguments for the priority of Aramaic and more than that suggest specific examples. MOORE, Tobit, 33-39; FITZMYER, Tobit (CEJL), 22-25; IDEM, The Aramaic and more than that Hebrew Fragments of Tobit, 670. Cf. also MORGENSTERN, Language with Literature in the Second Temple Education, 139-140; TOLONI, L’originale del libro di Tobia, 107-120; VANDERKAM/FLINT, The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls, 184-185. 44 Cf. HALLERMAYER, Text und Überlieferung des Buches Tobit, 175-179. Ego believes that then again Aramaic is likely, it is nonetheless hard, if not impossible, to determine the language of the Urtext of Tobit: “Eine definitive Entscheidung aufgrund rein sprach-licher Kriterien erscheint außerordentlich schwierig, wenn nicht gar unmöglich. De facto finden sich im aramäischen Text genauso hebräischen wie emerge der hebräischen Version lexikalische Aramaismen, so daß dies letzlich nicht als Kriterium für eine Entscheidung herangezogen werden kann. Das Aramäisch der Zeit des Zweiten Tempels combat insgesamt stark vom Hebräischen beeinflußt.” EGO, Buch Tobit, 880-881. 18 The Dependability of the Volume of Tobit Despite an assortment of textual versions, the saga as a whole remains intact. Indeed, there are textual variants that highlight particular theo-logical facets or tendencies set in the saga,45 yet no significant sketch detail is changed, deleted or contributed so as to affect, or alter, the plot and also the course of the entire history.46 Three characteristics may sloted in fact explanation for the wide range or fluidity of the Tobit textual conferences: a) the different manuscripts may reflect the transmission of the story that is situation in its diverse telling and basically retelling, a promi-nent feature put in an oral practices,47 b) its non-canonical status allowed early copyists and basically translators to have a freer approach placed in translating in addition to transmitting Tobit, perhaps clone of the attitude of Jerome when he did the Vulgate translation of Tobit,48 and more than that c) the load of Greek versions may simply point to a certain dissatisfaction plus the initial translation.49 No subject matter, the various manuscripts substantially pre-served in addition to stuck to the entirety of Tobit’s memoirs. 1. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/content-of-tobit/ 2. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/the-story-of-tobit/ 3. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/tobit-historical-critical-textual-analysis/ 4. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/the-message-of-tobit/ 5. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/tobit-time-and-place/ 6. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/tobit-and-marriage/ 7. https://catholic-church-traditions.cloudaccess.host/tobit-magic/