1And the words of Tobit’s praise were finished. And he died in peace at one hundred and twelve years old, and was buried honorably in Nineveh.
2He was sixty-two years old when he lost his sight, and after he regained it, he lived in prosperity and gave alms. And he continued to bless God and to praise the greatness of God.
3And when he was dying, he called his son Tobias and commanded him, saying, “Child, take your children away
4and flee to Media, because I believe the word of God against Nineveh, which Nahum spoke—that all of it will happen and will come upon Assyria and Nineveh. And all that the prophets of Israel spoke, whom God sent, all of it will come to pass. Not one of all the words will be diminished, and everything will happen in its appointed time. And in Media there will be more safety than in Assyria and in Babylon. Therefore I know and believe that all that God has said will be accomplished and will come to be, and not one word of his sayings will fail. And our brothers who live in the land of Israel will all be scattered and taken captive from the good land, and the whole land of Israel will be a desert. Samaria and Jerusalem will be a desert, and the house of God will be in sorrow and will be burned for a time.
5And again God will have mercy on them, and God will bring them back to the land of Israel. And they will again build the house, though not like the first one, until the time when the time of the ages is fulfilled. And after these things they will all return from their captivity and will build Jerusalem in splendor, and the house of God will be built in it, just as the prophets of Israel spoke concerning it.
6And all the nations in the whole earth—all of them will turn and fear God in truth. And they will all abandon their idols, which falsely led them astray into their error.
7And they will bless the eternal God in righteousness. All the sons of Israel who are saved in those days, remembering God in truth, will be gathered together and will come to Jerusalem. And they will dwell forever in the land of Abraham in safety, and it will be given to them. And those who love God in truth will rejoice, but those who commit sin and injustice will vanish from all the earth.
8And now you, child, depart from Nineveh and do not remain here.
9And now, children, I command you: serve God in truth and do what is pleasing before him. And command your children to do righteousness and almsgiving, so that they may be mindful of God and bless his name at all times in truth and with all their strength.
10On the day you bury your mother with me, do not spend that same night within Nineveh’s borders. For I see that there is great injustice in it, and much deceit is practiced there, and they are not ashamed. See, child, what Nadab did to Ahikar who raised him—was he not brought down into the earth alive? But God returned the dishonor to his own face. Ahikar came out into the light, but Nadab went into the eternal darkness because he sought to kill Ahikar. Because he gave alms, Ahikar escaped the death trap that Nadab had set for him, but Nadab fell into the death trap, and it destroyed him.
11And now, children, see what almsgiving does and what injustice does: it kills. And behold, my life is fading.” And they laid him on the bed, and he died; and he was buried honorably.
12And when his mother died, Tobias buried her with his father. Then he and his wife departed to Media and lived in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law.
13And he cared for them honorably in their old age and buried them in Ecbatana of Media. And he inherited the estate of Raguel and of his father Tobit.
14And he died honorably at one hundred and seventeen years of age.
15And before he died he saw and heard of the destruction of Nineveh. He saw its captives being led into Media, whom Achiachar, the king of Media, had taken captive. And he blessed God for all that he had done against the people of Nineveh and Assyria. He rejoiced over Nineveh before he died, and he blessed the Lord God forever and ever. Amen.
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