This verse from Tobit 2:13 is part of a larger story about Tobit's piety and misfortune. Here's a breakdown of the meaning and context:
Context: Tobit, a righteous and observant Jew, is blind after accidentally being blinded by bird droppings. He continues to care for the poor and observe Jewish law. This passage comes after he buries a dead body he finds in the street, an act of religious devotion.
"But when it came to my house, it began to cry..." Tobit has instructed his wife, Anna, to bring home the body of a murdered man that he found lying in the streets. When Anna is cleaning it she discovers that there is money inside the dead man's clothes. She brings the body home. The "it" most likely refers to the money (or potentially something wrapped up with the money - a small child, though more likely referring to the money). The crying represents the moral problem that the money represents.
"...and I said to her, Where did this kid come from?" Tobit is speaking to his wife, Anna. The "kid" is likely Tobit's colloquial way of referring to the money found on the dead body. He is not literally referring to an actual human child.
"Is it stolen? Give it back to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat anything that is stolen." Tobit's immediate concern is the origin of the money. He suspects it was stolen from someone. His unwavering commitment to Jewish law and morality leads him to insist that the money must be returned to its rightful owners, if they can be found. He understands that benefiting from stolen goods is forbidden by Jewish law. The phrase "eat anything that is stolen" is a figurative way of saying it is wrong to benefit in any way from stolen goods.
In essence, this verse reveals Tobit's unwavering integrity and adherence to religious law, even in difficult circumstances. He is more concerned with doing what is right than with personal gain, even when he and his family are in need.
This verse from Tobit 2:13 is part of a larger story about Tobit's piety and misfortune. Here's a breakdown of the meaning and context:
Context: Tobit, a righteous and observant Jew, is blind after accidentally being blinded by bird droppings. He continues to care for the poor and observe Jewish law. This passage comes after he buries a dead body he finds in the street, an act of religious devotion.
"But when it came to my house, it began to cry..." Tobit has instructed his wife, Anna, to bring home the body of a murdered man that he found lying in the streets. When Anna is cleaning it she discovers that there is money inside the dead man's clothes. She brings the body home. The "it" most likely refers to the money (or potentially something wrapped up with the money - a small child, though more likely referring to the money). The crying represents the moral problem that the money represents.
"...and I said to her, Where did this kid come from?" Tobit is speaking to his wife, Anna. The "kid" is likely Tobit's colloquial way of referring to the money found on the dead body. He is not literally referring to an actual human child.
"Is it stolen? Give it back to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat anything that is stolen." Tobit's immediate concern is the origin of the money. He suspects it was stolen from someone. His unwavering commitment to Jewish law and morality leads him to insist that the money must be returned to its rightful owners, if they can be found. He understands that benefiting from stolen goods is forbidden by Jewish law. The phrase "eat anything that is stolen" is a figurative way of saying it is wrong to benefit in any way from stolen goods.
In essence, this verse reveals Tobit's unwavering integrity and adherence to religious law, even in difficult circumstances. He is more concerned with doing what is right than with personal gain, even when he and his family are in need.
