Description

Tobit is a devout Jew living in Nineveh. He becomes blind after performing the good deed of burying a fellow Jew who had been executed. Later he sends his son Tobias with the angel Raphael to claim some money being held for him. Tobias does this, and returns home with a wife, a young woman who had once been plagued by a demon. Tobit regains his sight, and eventually dies with honor and dignity.

Cast of characters in the book of Tobit The following list of characters is the order in which they occur in the book of Tobit.

• Tobit A pious Israelite man living in exile in Nineveh, capital of
• Assyria.
• Anna Tobit’s wife.
• Tobias Tobit’s son.
• Ahikar A kinsman of Tobit, and an official in the Assyrian government.
• Sarah A young woman who is an Israelite living in Ecbatana, a city in
• Media.
• Asmodeus A demon who plagues Sarah.
• Gabael A man living in Media in the city of Rages; Tobit has deposited
• some money with him.
• Raphael An angel sent by God to assist Tobit and Sarah; in disguise, he
• goes by the name of Azariah.
• The dog Tobias’s pet.
• Raguel Sarah’s father.
• Edna Sarah’s mother.
• Nadab A kinsman of Tobit and Ahikar.

Some characteristics of the book of Tobit
Tobit is a charming narrative involving the private lives of two Israelite families living in exile far to the east of their homeland, in Assyria and Media. There is no real suspense in the story, since the author tells us early on just what is going to happen. But since the reader knows the course of the story in advance, the author can make use of irony to an extent that might not otherwise be possible.

Published 2001 Pages 550