Historical Books of the Old Testament: Tobit

The book of Tobit,the Dead Sea Scrolls fragments of which have been recently published bt Fitzmyer,is a tale about the efforts of a Jewish family to remain faithful while living in the diaspora.In this commentary on the Book of Tobit, Fitzmyer draws together his linguistic, text-critical,exegetical,and theological expertise to produce what promises to be a work of significance for future generations of readers.

The plan of this volume of commentary on the New English Bible texts of the shorter books of the Apocrypha follows the pattern of the now well established New Testament Series.The main divisions of the text are those provided by the New English Bible itself,but these are further subdivided for the purposes of the commentary which is printed in short sections following the relevant portion of the text.
The books presented in this volume are Tobit,in which the angel Raphael guides Tobit's son Tobias on various adventures,Judith,with its dramatic tale of the beheading of Holophernes,The Rest of the Chapters of the Book of Esther(together with the Book of Esther),Baruch,A Letter of Jeremiah,The Apocryphal Additions to Daniel(The Song of the Three,Daniel and Susanna,Daniel Bel,and the Snake)and The Prayer of Manasseh.

Introduction / by Diarmuid Scully --
On the book of the blessed father Tobit --
Commentary of Bede the priest on the Canticle of Habakkuk.

The commentary was originally written in Spanish as part of a Spanish Bible version entitled: Sagrada Biblia (known in English as the Navarre Bible) with a commentary by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre.

This dissertion will compare Jerome's Latin translation of the Book of Tobit,the Vulgate(Vg),with the Aramaic and Hebrew fragments from Qumran,extant forms of the Vetus Latina(VL),and the two main Greek recensions of Tobit.

The five biblical books treated in this volume are stories, i.e., narratives which seek to arouse tension and then resolve it. However, they are more than ancient stories of God and humans. They are our stories as well. They challenge us to uncover the basic human experiences of life and death, success and failure, hope and despair. They urge us to gain new perspectives and regain lost values.

Contents: The Book of Tobit: an ancestral story / Irene Nowell, O.S.B. -- "Eyes to the blind": a dialogue between Tobit and Job / Anathea Portier-Young -- The Psalms and the Book of Tobit / Stephen Ryan, O.P. -- Avenues of intertextuality between Tobit and the New Testament / Vincent Skemp -- The medieval Hebrew and Aramaic texts of Tobit / Loren. T. Stuckenbruck and Stuart D.E. Weeks -- Ben Sira, reader of Genesis 1-11 / Maurice Gilbert, S.J. -- The influence of the Book of Exodus on Ben Sira / Friedrich v. Reiterer -- In search of parallels: Ben Sira and the Book of Kings / Pancratius C. Beentjes -- Ben Sira and the prophets / Leo G. Perdue -- An intertextual study of Proverbs and Ben Sira / Jeremy Corley -- Multum in parvo: Ben Sira's portrayal of the patriarch Joseph / C.T. Robert Hayward -- Ezra, scribe and priest, and the concerns of Ben Sira / Michael W. Duggan -- "Faith in God" rather than "fear of God" in Ben Sira and Job : a necessary adjustment in terminology and understanding / Renate Egger-Wenzel -- "Come, let us be wise" : Qoheleth and Ben Sira on true wisdom, with an ear to Pharaoh's folly / J. Edward Owens -- Ben Sira and the Book of the watchers on the legitimate priesthood / Benjamin G. Wright III -- Amid trials : Ben Sira 2:1 and James 1:2 / Núria Calduch-Benages -- Sanctus Matthaeus, magister sapientiae, summa cum laude / James K. Aitken -- Alexander A. Di Lella : bibliography

Chaldee text, with a Hebrew translation further translated into English.