The Menorah Volume 5 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... Biblical literature in the books of Jonah, Ruth, and Esther. The apocryphal literature adds two small romances of rare beauty of tone and true epic spirit to this triad. These are the books of " Tobit" and of "_/udz'tlz." In both these stories the romance is developed into an almost entirely distinct species of literature. They are historical or patriotic stories, which embellish a traditional tale with poetic freedom, whilst keeping intact all the names, traits, and deeds of actual history. Let us first turn to the book "Tobit," the oldest among the apocrypha. If we give unqualified assent to the critical investigation of the book, it must have been written in the middle of the third century before Christ. Nor indeed could the author have lived very much later; the book must have originated at latest between the end of the third and the beginning of the second century before Christ. Tobit, the hero of the story, was one of the men of the tribe of Naphthali whom Shalmanassar, the King of Assyria, had led into exile. On the way to Nineveh he left with his friend Gabaiil a sum of money, which he could not fetch later on account of the uncertainty of the roads. In Nineveh he lived a pious life after the manner of his fathers and did many works of mercy. Thus he has the bodies of those slain by the royal soldiers buried according to the rites of his belief. The king persecutes him therefore, and Tobit flies. Only under the next king, and through the influence of Achiachar, his nephew, does he dare to return to his home and to his wife Anna. And again Tobit takes in hand the work that he loves--the burial of the slain----and again it brings him misfortune. Being unclean, according to the law, from touching...