BIBLE CHAPTER STUDY
Tobit 4 — A Father's Farewell Counsel
On his sickbed Tobit summons Tobias to deliver a set of moral instructions and to brief him on the ten talents of silver deposited with Gabael at Rages in Media.
Scripture
1Tobit Gives Instructions to His Son On that day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gab′ael at Rages in Media, and he said to himself:
2“I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobi′as so that I may explain to him about the money before I die?”
3So he called him and said, “My son, when I die, bury me, and do not neglect your mother. Honor her all the days of your life; do what is pleasing to her, and do not grieve her.
4Remember, my son, that she faced many dangers for you while you were yet unborn. When she dies, bury her beside me in the same grave.
5“Remember the Lord our God all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing.
6For if you do what is true, your ways will prosper through your deeds.
7Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you.
8If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have.
9So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity.
10For charity delivers from death and keeps you from entering the darkness;
11and for all who practice it charity is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.
12“Beware, my son, of all immorality. First of all take a wife from among the descendants of your fathers and do not marry a foreign woman, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the sons of the prophets. Remember, my son, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers of old, all took wives from among their brethren. They were blessed in their children, and their posterity will inherit the land.
13So now, my son, love your brethren, and in your heart do not disdain your brethren and the sons and daughters of your people by refusing to take a wife for yourself from among them. For in pride there is ruin and great confusion; and in shiftlessness there is loss and great want, because shiftlessness is the mother of famine.
14Do not hold over till the next day the wages of any man who works for you, but pay him at once; and if you serve God you will receive payment. “Watch yourself, my son, in everything you do, and be disciplined in all your conduct.
15And what you hate, do not do to any one. Do not drink wine to excess or let drunkenness go with you on your way.
16Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your clothing to the naked. Give all your surplus to charity, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you made it.
17Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners.
18Seek advice from every wise man, and do not despise any useful counsel.
19Bless the Lord God on every occasion; ask him that your ways may be made straight and that all your paths and plans may prosper. For none of the nations has understanding; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and according to his will he humbles whomever he wishes. Money Left in Trust with Gabael “So, my son, remember my commands, and do not let them be blotted out of your mind.
20And now let me explain to you about the ten talents of silver which I left in trust with Gab′ael the son of Gabri′as at Rages in Media.
21Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth if you fear God and refrain from every sin and do what is pleasing in his sight.”
What this passage means
Tobit 4 is structured as a deathbed testament. Tobit remembers the silver he left with Gabael (verse 1) and immediately calls his son so that the instruction can be given before he dies (verse 2). The chapter therefore has two purposes: a moral exhortation to Tobias and a practical transfer of responsibility for the deposit in Media.
The core of the moral instruction is a series of short commands. Tobit tells Tobias to honor his mother (verse 3), to remember her dangers in bearing him (verse 4), and to keep the Lord in mind and refrain from sin (verse 5). Almsgiving is given unusual weight: verses 7–11 promise that charity delivers from death, keeps one from darkness, and is an excellent offering before the Most High. Marriage is addressed in verse 12–13, with the instruction to take a wife from among the relatives rather than a foreign woman, on the pattern of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Further commands cover prompt payment of wages (verse 14), the golden-rule principle of not doing to others what one hates (verse 15), bread and clothing for the hungry and naked (verse 16), bread placed on the grave of the righteous (verse 17), and seeking wise counsel (verse 18).
The chapter closes with a prayer for straight paths (verse 19) and the disclosure of the deposit: ten talents of silver left with Gabael son of Gabrias at Rages in Media (verse 20). Tobit reframes their poverty by pointing Tobias toward the greater wealth of fearing God and avoiding sin (verse 21). The note in the material labels the chapter simply as Tobit's farewell instruction.
Context
The provided chapter text contains only Tobit 4 itself, with no surrounding chapters included. Within the chapter, the setting is explicitly stated: it is the day Tobit remembers the deposit with Gabael at Rages in Media and decides to summon Tobias before he dies. The chapter note in the supplied material identifies this unit as Tobit's farewell instruction, which frames the whole chapter as a deathbed scene. Apart from the note and the verse text itself, no further context is given.
The opening two verses establish the practical matter that will close the chapter: the ten talents of silver at Rages (verse 20), framed by verses 1 and 21 as both the reason for calling Tobias and the answer to Tobias' fear of poverty. The intervening verses 3–19 form a continuous stream of proverbs and commands, treating piety, family duty, almsgiving, marriage, fair dealing, and prayer as a single inheritance the son is to carry forward.
Common questions
Why does Tobit call Tobias at the start of the chapter?
Verse 2 states that Tobit asked for death and wanted to explain about the money before he died, so he summoned Tobias to give his instructions.
What does Tobit teach about almsgiving in this chapter?
Tobit tells Tobias to give alms from whatever he has (verses 7–8), asserts that charity delivers from death and keeps one from entering darkness (verse 10), and calls it an excellent offering before the Most High (verse 11). He repeats the duty in verse 16 with bread for the hungry and clothing for the naked.
What practical matter does Tobit disclose at the end of the chapter?
Verses 20–21 disclose the ten talents of silver left in trust with Gabael son of Gabrias at Rages in Media, and Tobit reframes their poverty by pointing Tobias to the wealth of fearing God and avoiding sin.