Tobit is one of the books that are in the Greek scriptures but not in our Hebrew ones. It was written in Hebrew or Aramaic too, long ago, but here in Alexandria everybody reads it in Greek. It’s a journey story. With an angel in disguise.
The Septuagint · Verb patterns
Tobit and the Angel
Remember to or remember -ing? Stop to or stop -ing? Advise, remind, warn and forget: the verb patterns of a father’s advice, a long journey, a mysterious companion and a very large fish, footnoted by Philo.
🐟 Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are Tobias.Play the gamebook →
PHILO
DEMETRIA
An angel in disguise? Like Athena disguised as Mentor?
The story
From the Septuagint
Tobit was a good man who lived in Nineveh, far from home. He always remembered to share his food with the poor, and he risked his life burying the dead when nobody else dared. But one day he became blind, and he became poor.
Tobit remembered that long ago he had left some money with a friend in Media. So he sent his son Tobias to fetch it. Before Tobias left, Tobit gave him advice: “Remember God every day. Don’t forget to give to the poor. Don’t do to anyone what you would hate to be done to you.”
Tobias needed a guide. A young man called Azarias offered to go with him. He was really the angel Raphael, but nobody knew. On the way, when Tobias stopped to wash in the river Tigris, a great fish jumped out at him. Raphael told him to catch it, and to keep its heart, its liver and its gall.
In Ecbatana they stayed with a relative, whose daughter Sarah was very unhappy, because a demon had troubled her for years. Following Raphael’s advice, Tobias married Sarah, and with the fish’s heart and liver he drove the demon away.
When they came home, Tobias put the fish’s gall on his father’s eyes, as Raphael had told him, and Tobit could see again. Then Azarias told them who he really was: “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand before the Lord.” And he disappeared.
From the book of Tobit, as it is read in the Greek of the Septuagint.
Verbs followed by -ing
SOPHIA
Some verbs are followed by -ing: enjoy, avoid, finish, keep, mind, suggest, risk. Tobit risked burying the dead. He kept giving to the poor.
MARCOS
And some by to?
SOPHIA
Some by to + verb: decide, offer, promise, refuse, hope, agree, need. Azarias offered to go with him. Tobias agreed to marry Sarah.
Remember, forget, stop: two meanings
DEMETRIA
“Tobit remembered to share his food.” But also “Tobit remembered leaving the money.” Both are right?
SOPHIA
Both, with different meanings. Remember / forget to do = remember an action you must do (then you do it). Remember / forget doing = remember something you did before. Don’t forget to give to the poor. I’ll never forget meeting the angel.
Stop and try
PHILO
And my favourite. “Tobias stopped to wash.” He stopped walking, in order to wash. “Tobias stopped washing” means the washing ended, because a fish jumped out.
SOPHIA
Exactly. Stop to do = stop in order to do something. Stop doing = end an action. And try to do = make an effort; try doing = experiment: Try putting the gall on his eyes.
Advise, remind, warn, tell + object + to
THE CLERK
Raphael told him to catch the fish. Raphael advised him to keep the heart. Raphael reminded him…
SOPHIA
…to put the gall on his father’s eyes. Yes: advise, tell, remind, warn, ask, allow + person + to + verb. Negative: His father warned him not to trust strangers.
The golden rule
PHILO
And the most important advice in the book: “What you hate, do not do to anyone.” Rabbi Hillel said almost the same thing, in Jerusalem, not many years ago.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| verb + -ing | enjoy, avoid, finish, keep, mind, risk, suggest | He risked burying the dead. |
| verb + to + verb | decide, offer, promise, refuse, hope, agree | Azarias offered to go with him. |
| remember / forget to do vs doing | a duty to do vs a memory of the past | Don’t forget to give. I’ll never forget meeting him. |
| stop to do vs stop doing | in order to vs end an action | He stopped to wash. He stopped washing. |
| advise / tell / remind / warn + person + to | instructions and advice | Raphael advised him to keep the heart. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best form
Choose the form that fits best.
1. Tobit risked ___ the dead.
2. Azarias offered ___ with Tobias.
3. Don’t forget ___ to the poor every day.
4. Tobias will never forget ___ the angel.
5. On the journey, they stopped ___ by the river.
6. Raphael advised him ___ the heart and the liver.
B · Complete the sentence
Write the verb in the correct form.
7. Tobias agreed Sarah. (marry)
8. Tobit remembered some money with a friend years before. (leave)
9. His father warned him not strangers. (trust)
10. When the fish jumped out, Tobias stopped and shouted. (wash)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “Tobit kept giving food to the poor.”
12. “Raphael suggested to catch the fish.”
13. “Tobias reminded his father to eat.”
Now make the journey yourself, as Tobias, with a guide who isn’t quite what he seems.Play the gamebook →