will conduct him thither, and bring him back to thee. And Tobias said to him: I pray thee, tell me, of what family, or what tribe art thou? And Raphael the angel answered: Dost thou seek the family of him thou hirest, or the hired servant himself to go with thy son? But lest I should make thee uneasy, I am Azarias the son of the great Ananias.* And Tobias

answered: Thou art of a great family. But I pray thee be not angry that I desired to know thy family. And the angel said to him: I will lead thy son safe, and bring him to thee again safe. And Tobias answering, said: May you have a good journey, and God be with you in your way, and His angel accompany you. Then all things being ready that were to be carried in their journey, Tobias bid his mother and his father farewell, and they set out both together.

And when they were departed, his mother began to weep, and to say: Thou hast taken the staff of our old age, and sent him away from us. I wish the money for which thou hast sent him had never been. For our poverty was sufficient for us, that we might account it as riches, that we saw our son. And Tobias said to her: Weep not: our son will arrive thither safe, and will return safe to us, and thy eyes shall see him. For I believe that the good angel of God doth accompany him, and doth order all things well that are done about him, so that he shall return to us with joy. At these words his mother ceased weeping, and held her peace.†

SECT. CIV. TOBIAS'S RETURN TO HIS PARENTS. THE ANGEL DISCOVERS

HIMSELF.

But as Tobias made longer stay upon occasion of the marri- Tobias x. age, Tobias his father was solicitous, saying: Why thinkest thou 1-13. doth my son tarry, or why is he detained there? Is Gabelus dead, thinkest thou, and no man will pay him the money? And he began to be exceeding sad, both he and Anna his wife with him: and they began both to weep together, because their son did not return to them on the day appointed. But his mother wept and was quite disconsolate, and said: Wo, wo is me, my son, why did we send thee to go to a strange country, the light of our

*The angel took the form of Azarias, and therefore might call himself by the name of the man whom he personated. Azarias, in Hebrew, signifies the help of God, and Ananias the grace of God. DOUAY BIBLE.

†Tobias, on arriving at Rages, stayed, by the advice of the angel, at the house of Raguel, their kinsman, and there became acquainted with his daughter Sara, whom he married. The angel instructed him how, by prayer and purity of heart, to overcome the attacks of the devil, who had prevailed against seven other persons that were to have married Sara.

Tobias XI.

eyes, the staff of our old age, the comfort of our life, the hope of our posterity? We having all things together in thee alone, ought not to have let thee go from us. And Tobias said to her: Hold thy peace, and be not troubled, our son is safe: that man with whom we sent him is very trusty. But she could by no means be comforted, but daily running out looked round about, and went into all the ways by which there seemed any hope he might return, that she might if possible see him coming afar off.

Return of Tobias.-But Raguel said to his son-in-law: Stay here, and I will send a messenger to Tobias thy father, that thou art in health. And Tobias said to him: I know that my father and mother now count the days, and their spirit is grievously afflicted within them. And when Raguel had pressed Tobias with many words, and he by no means would hearken to him, he delivered Sara unto him, and half of all his substance in men-servants, and women-servants, in cattle, in camels, and in kine, and in much money, and sent him away safe and joyful from him, saying: The holy angel of the Lord be with you in your journey, and bring you through safe, and that you may find all things well about your parents, and my eyes may see your children before I die. And the parents taking their daughter, kissed her, and let her go: admonishing her to honour her father and mother in law, to love her husband, to take care of the family, to govern the house, and to behave herself irreprehensibly.

And as they were returning they came to Charan, which is 1-21. in the midway to Ninive, the eleventh day. And the angel said: Brother Tobias, thou knowest how thou didst leave thy father. If it please thee therefore, let us go before, and let the family follow softly after us, together with thy wife, and with the beasts. And as this their going pleased him, Raphael said to Tobias: Take with thee of the gall of the fish,* for it will be necessary. So Tobias took some of that gall and de

parted.

But Anna sat beside the way daily, on the top of a hill, from whence she might see afar off. And while she watched his coming from that place, she saw him afar off, and presently perceived it was her son coming: and returning she told her husband, saying: Behold thy son cometh.

And Raphael said to Tobias: As soon as thou shalt come

* This was a monstrous fish that had attacked Tobias as he went to wash in the river Tigris on his way to Rages. By command of the angel he had seized the fish and caught it.

into thy house, forthwith adore the Lord thy God; and giving thanks to Him, go to thy father, and kiss him. And imme diately anoint his eyes with this gall of the fish, which thou carriest with thee. For be assured that his eyes shall be presently opened, and thy father shall see the light of heaven, and shall rejoice in the sight of thee.

Then the dog which had been with them in the way ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, showed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail. And his father that was blind rising up, began to run stumbling with his feet; and giving a servant his hand, went to meet his son. And receiving him kissed him, as did also his wife; and they began to weep for joy. And when they had adored God and given Him thanks, they sat down together.

He anoints his Father's Eyes.-Then Tobias taking of the gall of the fish, anointed his father's eyes. And he stayed about half an hour, and a white skin began to come out of his eyes, like the skin of an egg. And Tobias took hold of it, and drew it from his eyes, and immediately he recovered his sight. And they glorified God, both he and his wife and all that knew him.

And Tobias said: I bless Thee, O Lord God of Israel, because Thou hast chastised me, and Thou hast saved me: and behold I see Tobias my son. And after seven days Sara his son's wife and all the family arrived safe, and the cattle, and the camels, and an abundance of money of his wife's; and that money also which he had received of Gabelus. And he told his parents all the benefits of God, which He had done to him by the man that conducted him. And Achior and Nabath the Tobias XII. kinsmen of Tobias came, rejoicing for Tobias, and congratulating with him for all the good things that God had done for him. And for seven days they feasted and rejoiced all with great joy.

Then Tobias called to him his son, and said to him: What can we give to this holy man that is come with thee? Tobias answering, said to his father: Father, what wages shall we give him? or what can be worthy of his benefits? He conducted me and brought me safe again, he received the money of Gabelus, he caused me to have my wife, and he chased from her the evil spirit; he gave joy to her parents, myself he delivered from being devoured by the fish; thee also he hath made to see the light of heaven, and we are filled with all good things through him. What can we give him sufficient for these things? But I beseech thee, my father, to desire him that he would vouchsafe to accept of one half of all things that have been brought. So the father and the son calling him, took him aside and be

1-22.

gan to desire him that he would vouchsafe to accept of half of all things that they had brought.

Discovery of the Angel. Then he said to them secretly: Bless ye the God of heaven, give glory to Him in the sight of all that live, because He hath shown His mercy to you. For it is good to hide the secret of a king; but honourable to reveal and confess the works of God. Prayer is good with fasting and alms, more than to lay up treasures of gold; for alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting. But they that commit sin and iniquity are enemies to their own soul. I discover then the truth unto you, and I will not hide the secret from you. When thou didst pray with tears, and didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner, and hide the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I offered thy prayer to the Lord. And because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee. And now the Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara thy son's wife from the devil. For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord.

And when they had heard these things they were troubled, and being seized with fear they fell upon the ground on their face. And the angel said to them: Peace be to you, fear not. For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God: bless ye Him, and sing praises to Him. I seemed indeed to eat and to drink with you; but I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men. It is time therefore that I return to Him that sent me; but bless ye God, and publish all His wonderful works.

And when he had said these things he was taken from their sight, and they could see him no more. Then they, lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, blessed God; and rising up, they told all His wonderful works.

PART IV. THE PROPHETS.

THIS Part is so designated because it consists principally of the writings of the Prophets, but it also takes in some other books of the Bible, and includes the history of the Jews from the last king to the New Testament period. It consists, therefore, of the following contents: 1. The writings of the kings of Juda:

The Psalms of David.

The Canticle of Canticles, by Solomon.
The Proverbs of Solomon.

Ecclesiastes, also by Solomon.

The Wisdom of Solomon.

Ecclesiasticus, written, like the Book of Wisdom, in

his name.

2. The writings of the Prophets who lived in the time of the kings, viz.:

Jonah, in the reign of Amasias.

Amos, in the reign of Ozias.

Joel, at the same time.

Osee, who began at the same time.

Isaias, in the reigns of Ozias, Joatham, Achaz, and

Ezechias.

Micheas, in the reigns of Achaz and Ezechias.

Nahum, uncertain.

Sophonias, in the reign of Josias.

Habacuc, in the reign of Josias or Joakim.

Jeremias, in the reign of Josias and up to the taking

of Jerusalem.

Baruch, at the same time.

3. The writings of the Prophets who lived during the Captivity, B.C. 606-B.c. 536, viz. :

Ezeckiel.
Abdias.

Daniel.