Tobit 1:2 - who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.
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What does "Tobit 1:2" mean?
This verse from Tobit 1:2 provides historical and geographical context for the story of Tobit. Let's break it down:
"who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians...": This places Tobit's exile within the reign of an Assyrian king named Enemessar. Many scholars believe "Enemessar" is a variation of the name Shalmaneser, specifically Shalmaneser V, who reigned from 727 to 722 BC. He is known for conquering the northern kingdom of Israel. So, this signifies the period of the Assyrian conquest and deportation of Israelites.
"...was carried away captive out of Thisbe...": This states that Tobit was among those taken as captives during the Assyrian conquest. His home city was Thisbe.
"...which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.": This gives the location of Thisbe in relation to other known places.
Kedesh Naphtali: This was a Levitical city in the territory of the tribe of Naphtali in Galilee. Its location is known.
"on the right hand of": This phrase implies a direction. In this context, it likely means "south of" Kedesh Naphtali.
"in Galilee above Asher": This further locates Thisbe in the region of Galilee, specifically in the area higher (perhaps geographically, meaning elevated) than the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher.
In summary, the verse tells us:
Tobit was exiled from his home.
The exile occurred during the reign of an Assyrian king (likely Shalmaneser V).
Tobit's home city, Thisbe, was located south of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee, in an area higher in elevation than the territory of the tribe of Asher.
The purpose of this verse is to ground the story of Tobit in a specific historical period and geographic region, lending it a sense of authenticity. However, the precise location of Thisbe has not been definitively identified archaeologically, although scholars can estimate its approximate location based on the clues provided.
Tobit 1:2 - who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.
What does "Tobit 1:2" mean?
This verse from Tobit 1:2 provides historical and geographical context for the story of Tobit. Let's break it down:
"who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians...": This places Tobit's exile within the reign of an Assyrian king named Enemessar. Many scholars believe "Enemessar" is a variation of the name Shalmaneser, specifically Shalmaneser V, who reigned from 727 to 722 BC. He is known for conquering the northern kingdom of Israel. So, this signifies the period of the Assyrian conquest and deportation of Israelites.
"...was carried away captive out of Thisbe...": This states that Tobit was among those taken as captives during the Assyrian conquest. His home city was Thisbe.
"...which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.": This gives the location of Thisbe in relation to other known places.
Kedesh Naphtali: This was a Levitical city in the territory of the tribe of Naphtali in Galilee. Its location is known.
"on the right hand of": This phrase implies a direction. In this context, it likely means "south of" Kedesh Naphtali.
"in Galilee above Asher": This further locates Thisbe in the region of Galilee, specifically in the area higher (perhaps geographically, meaning elevated) than the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher.
In summary, the verse tells us:
Tobit was exiled from his home.
The exile occurred during the reign of an Assyrian king (likely Shalmaneser V).
Tobit's home city, Thisbe, was located south of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee, in an area higher in elevation than the territory of the tribe of Asher.
The purpose of this verse is to ground the story of Tobit in a specific historical period and geographic region, lending it a sense of authenticity. However, the precise location of Thisbe has not been definitively identified archaeologically, although scholars can estimate its approximate location based on the clues provided.