Introduction

Structure of this commentary

The Tobit narrative is attested in both Hebrew and Aramaic (in the fragmentary transmission of the Qumran texts) as well as in three Greek (GI, GII and GIII) and two Latin versions ("Vetus Latina" and "Vulgate"). Given the fragmentary character of the Qumran texts, a commentary that aims to do justice to the narrative as a whole has to begin with the Greek tradition. As the long form GII, attested mainly by Sinaiticus, represents the oldest and almost complete version of the narrative and the sections missing there, 4:7-19b and 13:6c-10 can be relatively easily reconstructed with the aid of the short text GI and the Vetus Latina,1 GII is the version that will be used as the starting point for the present commentary.2 Unless otherwise indicated, references are thus to the long text GII; the missing verses, 4:7-19b and 13:6c-10, have been reconstructed accordingly. Chapter and verse numbers follow the edition of the Septuagint by Robert Hanhart (1983).

The individual sections of the commentary are structured as follows: After a translation of the text according to GII, notes on text and translation are given including brief references to the short text GI as well as to the Qumran tradition and the Vulgate, focusing on those variants relevant to the content of the story. The translations of the Qumran texts and of GI, as well as of the Vulgate are my own. To keep the scope of this commentary within reasonable bounds, reference must be made to the following readily accessible publications for a detailed presentation of these texts and their relevant translations: A comprehensive presentation of all the Qumran texts with a philological focus is given by Joseph Fitzmyer3 and Michaela Hallermayer4. Fitzmyer in his commentary (2003) presents parallel translations of both GII and GI.5 An English translation of the Vulgate version can be found in Skemp's work on that version.6

Further discussion of the text follows the IECOT series format and makes a clear differentiation between synchronic and diachronic ways of looking at the texts.7 Under the heading "Synchronic analysis," the first main part of each commentary section looks mainly at what the text reveals directly about its structure, its narrative style, significant motifs, and its theological stance. Another main part then examines diachronic aspects of the text. Since a commentary on the narrative as a whole has to work with a translation, the transmission of the book allows for only limited literary-critical conclusions. Given this background, the present work does not provide a detailed literary analysis in its commentary sections, but offers some basic information on this aspect and a "large-scale" model for the book's literary history, especially in the introduction. However, references to older biblical texts and the work's tradition-historical contexts are particularly informative for the diachronic structure of the tradition. Each chapter concludes with a synthesis giving a concise summary of the preceding discussion.

The most important insights on the development from long text GII to short text GI, the Vulgate, and post-antiquity Jewish traditions are presented in the Introduction so as not to expand the scope of the commentary unduly. A continuous commentary on the Vulgate, as well as a detailed presentation of the post-antiquity texts and their textual developments must be left for later studies.

Thus, the focus of the commentary itself-in addition to a synchronic view-is on the book's tradition history. The introductory section, however, deals with important developments in the textual history with reference to matters of content besides the more customary "introductory questions".

Since the publication of the fragments from Qumran, interest in Tobit has grown steadily.8 In order to keep this commentary within manageable bounds, it was not possible for me to engage in a detailed discussion and evaluation of all the numerous works on Tobit. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues for their contributions, even though it was not always possible to discuss their work extensively.

Introduction

The book of Tobit tells the story of the pious and righteous Tobit, who, following the Assyrian conquest, has to live in the Diaspora. There, he is blinded through no fault of his own, and miraculously healed by divine help, mediated by an angel. This plot line is set parallel to the story of Sarah, who is also in dire straits: an evil demon has already killed seven men who wanted to marry her before the wedding, so that she is now exposed to shame and mockery. God sends the angel Raphael, appearing as a young man named Azariah. Raphael/Azariah instructs Tobias, Tobit's son, to use the heart, liver and gall of a fish to free Tobit and Sarah from their sufferings. Tobias and Sarah even become a romantic couple and can thus fulfill the commandment of endogamy, which, for the narrator, is an important part of the Mosaic Law. Ultimately, however, the return to the Holy Land and the magnificently built city of Jerusalem is expected. The individual fate of the protagonists serves as a paradigm for the nation's destiny and serves as an exemplar for its salvation.

The Text's Transmission

Overview The history of the text's transmission is complex. In addition to the Hebrew and Aramaic Qumran fragments, there are three different Greek text forms (the so-called short text GI, the long text GII, and a mixed form, GIII). Besides the Syrian, Sahidic, Ethiopic, and Armenian versions, there are also two Latin versions among the earlier translations: the Vetus Latina and Jerome's Vulgate. While the Vetus Latina displays considerable similarities to the long text GII, Jerome's translation, though close to the Vetus Latina, has its own distinctive character. There are, furthermore, five later Hebrew versions of the text as well as an Aramaic one, which can be traced back to the Middle Ages. These are translations of Greek or Latin texts back into Hebrew resp. Aramaic, which freely reshape the tradition.9

Qumran The Qumran discoveries showed clearly that the narrative was originally written in a Semitic language. In 1952, numerous individual fragments of the text in Aramaic and Hebrew were found in Cave 4. In total, fragments of four Aramaic-language scrolls are preserved (1-4) as well as a fragmentary manuscript in Hebrew (5):

1. 4QpapToba ar (4Q196) is written on papyrus in late-Hasmonean script and dated to about 50 BCE. Here, twenty fragments of different lengths could be identified; thirty parts are unidentified.

2. 4QTobb ar (4Q197) is written on brown leather fragments. This copy was written in early-Herodian formal script and can be dated to the period between about 25 BCE and 25 CE. Five fragments of this copy have been identified; two remain unidentified.

3. 4QTobc ar (4Q198) consists of two fragments on thin tanned leather. The script can be classified as a late-Hasmonean or early-Herodian "book hand" with some semicursive elements and can be dated to around 50 BCE. The two fragments appear to contain parts of Tob 14; however, the second fragment is difficult to place with any certainty.

4. 4QTobd ar (4Q199) is represented by two single fragments on brown leather. The text is written in the Hasmonean script and can be dated to about 100 BCE. This is the oldest preserved text of Tobit.

5. 4QTobe hebr (4Q200), the only fragment in Hebrew, consists of nine individual fragments on leather. The script may be described as an early-Herodian formal hand, datable to between about 25 BCE and 25 CE. Altogether, eleven fragments are preserved; the identification of two fragments is uncertain.

Overview of the Qumran fragments 4Q196-200