Tobit

Tobit is a deuterocanonical book of the Old Testament — a family story set among the Jewish exiles in Nineveh that teaches the importance of almsgiving, prayer, and fidelity to God in adversity. The archangel Raphael plays a central role, and the book is notable for its theology of marriage and the spiritual warfare underlying human life (CCC 332).

The Story

Tobit is a righteous Jew in exile who is blinded after burying the dead — a corporal work of mercy that had made him ritually impure. His son Tobiah is sent on a journey accompanied by the archangel Raphael in disguise. Tobiah marries Sarah, whose previous seven husbands had been killed on their wedding night by the demon Asmodeus — whom Raphael drives away. Tobit's sight is restored. Raphael reveals his identity and departs, giving the book's most memorable teaching: "Prayer with fasting is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness" (Tobit 12:8).

Theological Themes

Tobit teaches several important themes: the importance of burying the dead (a corporal work of mercy); the value of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; the reality of angelic ministry in human affairs; the theology of marriage as ordained by God; and the Providence of God working through suffering. The book is particularly cherished in Catholic tradition for its depiction of married life and the role of angels (CCC 332).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Tobit not in Protestant Bibles? Tobit is among the deuterocanonical books retained in the Catholic Bible following the tradition of the Septuagint and the early Church but excluded from the Protestant canon following the Hebrew canon adopted at the Reformation (CCC 120).