Then Tobit answered his son Tobias: “Tobit replied” (Good News Translation) is all that is really necessary for the longer, more literal clause in New Revised Standard Version. Contemporary English Version continues using the first person “I answered,” but translators are urged to use the third person (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). See the discussion on this point at 3.16.

He gave me his bond and I gave him my bond: This verse presents several difficult problems. One problem is how to translate the Greek noun rendered bond in New Revised Standard Version. The word describes something handwritten; the contexts in which it is used suggest a legal document. (In the New Testament, this word occurs at Col 2.14; Good News Translation has “record.”) Here the document certainly serves some legal purpose. The Greek is clear that each man, Tobit and Gabael, gave the other man one of these things: “He gave me a … and I gave him a….” And yet there is only one object involved, which is then divided into two parts. Both Good News Translation and New American Bible speak of signatures on a document; this is a reasonable solution, consistent with the evidence. We may fairly assume that the author thinks of the transaction as involving at least this much. New Revised Standard Version bond suggests that there was more substance to the writing than mere signatures. New American Bible goes so far as to suggest “signatures on a document written in duplicate.” New American Bible seems to be thinking of a document written twice on the same surface, which is then divided in such a way that the two pieces can be later matched as legal evidence of some kind. The only thing that is actually clear here is that each man does some writing and that they do it on the same writing surface.

I divided his in two: A second problem has to do with how this document is divided into parts. Whether it is torn (Good News Translation) or cut depends on the material used. “Tore” suggests something like paper. Unless a neutral term simply suggesting dividing (this is as far as the Greek term goes) is used, the verb “cut” would probably be truer to context, supposing that the writing was done on leather. His in his in two may cause a misunderstanding. There was only one document, so “I then tore it in two” (Good News Translation) is more accurate.

We each took one part, and I put one with the money: A third problem is: What did Tobit leave with the money? The Greek indicates no object: “Each of us took one and I placed with the money.” A first assumption would be that Tobit put his own half of the document with the money and left it behind; but the problem with that interpretation is that he would later need that piece for evidence. In chapter 9 Tobias produces his father’s half, which is then given to Gabael. What must have happened then is that Tobit put Gabael’s half with the money—although it does sound strange for Tobit rather than Gabael to do it. Good News Translation and New American Bible make it clear that Tobit put Gabael’s half with the money. New Revised Standard Version I put one with the money avoids the problem, leaving it for the reader to solve. An alternative translation model for the first part of this quotation is “Twenty years ago Gabael and I signed our names to an agreement that we cut in half. I kept one half and left the other with the money.” In languages where translators must spell out what material was used for the agreement, we may say something like “Gabael and I both signed our names to an agreement on animal skin that we cut in half….”

Yet another problem is that some information is missing. In 9.5 we learn that this money is in sealed bags. There is no textual evidence for it here at 5.3, but one scholar’s translation (Zimmermann) inserts “in the bags with the seals” after the money. This knowledge is probably not necessary for the reader’s understanding at this point, though it is interesting to note that another legal transaction involving duplicate documents, one open and one sealed, is described in Jer 32.

There is one more problem that is not so difficult. New Revised Standard Version has a textual footnote at I divided, indicating that another form of the text is “He divided.” This is the Old Latin. The Greek text says I divided, and translators may feel secure with it.

I left this money in trust: See the note on 1.14, and compare 4.1, 20.

So now, my son: For So now refer to 4.19, and for my son see 4.3-4.

Find yourself a trustworthy man to go with you: The “reliable person” (Good News Translation) Tobit suggests Tobias find is an expression preparing the reader for the appearance of the angel Raphael in the next verse. Other ways to express this clause are: “Find someone you can trust,” or even idiomatically “Find someone you can rest your heart/liver on.”

We will pay him wages until you return: This literal but dangerously misleading translation intends to say that the man will be paid for his time of service, the end of which is marked by their return from Media. Good News Translation “we will pay him when you return” is the clear meaning.

But get back the money from Gabael: The connector But is emphasizing the need to get the money from Gabael. One way to express the emphasis is “Tobias, don’t forget to….” The Greek refers to Gabael simply as “him” at the end of the verse, but for clarity and emphasis Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible use the name. New American Bible adds a nice touch with “but get back that money from Gabael.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.