APOCRYPHA

TOBIT, CHAPTER 1

1 Eſdras is commanded to reproue the people. 24 God threatneth to caſt them off, 35 and to giue their houſes to a people of more grace then they.

1, THE Booke of the wordes of Tobit, ſonne of Tobiel, the ſon of Ananiel, the ſonne of Aduel, the ſonne of Gabael, of the ſeed of Aſael, of the Tribe of Nephthali, 

2, Who in the time of Enemeſſar king of the Aſſyrians, was led captiue out of Thiſbe which is at the right hand of that citie, which is called properly Nephthali in Galile aboue Aſer. 

3, I Tobit haue walked all the dayes of my life in the way of trueth, and iuſtice, and I did many almes deeds to my brethren, and my nation, who came with me to Nineue into the land of the Aſſyrians. 

4, And when I was in mine owne countrey, in the land of Iſrael, being but yong, all the tribe of Nephthali my father, fell from the houſe of Ieruſalem, which was choſen out of all the tribes of Iſrael, that all the tribes ſhould ſacrifice there where the Temple of the habitation of the moſt High was conſecrated, and built for all ages. 

5, Now all the tribes which together reuolted, and the houſe of my father Nephthali ſacrificed vnto the heifer Baal. 

6, But I alone went often to Ieruſalem at the Feaſts, as it was ordeined vnto al the people of Iſrael by an euerlaſting decree, hauing the firſt fruits, and tenths of encreaſe, with that which was firſt ſhorne, and them gaue I at the Altar to the Prieſtes the children of Aaron. 

7, The firſt tenth part of al increaſe, I gaue to the ſonnes of Aaron, who miniſtred at Ieruſalem: another tenth part I ſold away, and went, and ſpent it euery yeere at Ieruſalem. 

8, And the third, I gaue vnto them to whom it was meet, as Debora my fathers mother had commanded mee, becauſe I was left an orphane by my father. 

9, Furthermore when I was come to the age of a man, I married Anna of mine owne kinred, and of her I begate Tobias. 

10, And when we were caried away captiues to Nineue, all my brethren, and thoſe that were of my kinred, did eate of the bread of the Gentiles. 

11, But I kept my ſelfe from eating: 

12, Becauſe I remembred God with all my heart. 

13, And the moſt High gaue me grace, and fauour before Enemeſſar, ſo that I was his purueyour. 

14, And I went into Media, and left in truſt with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias at Rages a citie of Media, ten talents of ſiluer. 

15, Now when Enemeſſar was dead, Sennacherib his ſonne reigned in his ſtead, whoſe eſtate was troubled, that I could not goe into Media. 

16, And in the time of Enemeſſar, I gaue many almes to my brethren, and gaue my bread to the hungry, 

17, And my clothes to the naked: and if I ſaw any of my nation dead, or caſt about the walles of Nineue, I buried him. 

18, And if the king Sennacherib had ſlaine any, when hee was come, and fledde from Iudea, I buried them priuily, (for in his wrath hee killed many) but the bodies were not found, when they were ſought for of the king. 

19, And when one of the Nineuites went, and complained of me to the king that I buried them, and hid my ſelfe: vnderſtanding that I was ſought for to be put to death, I withdrew my ſelfe for feare. 

20, Then all my goods were forcibly taken away, neither was there any thing left me, beſides my wife Anna, and my ſonne Tobias. 

21, And there paſſed not fiue and fiftie dayes before two of his ſonnes killed him, and they fled into the mountaines of Ararath, and Sarchedonus his ſonne reigned in his ſtead, who appointed ouer his fathers accounts, and ouer all his affaires, Achiacharus my brother Anaels ſonne. 

22, And Achiacharus entreating for me, I returned to Nineue: now Achiacharus was Cup-bearer, and keeper of the Signet, and Steward, and ouerſeer of the accounts: and Sarchedonus appointed him next vnto him: and hee was my brothers ſonne.