Because of this wholehearted service of God, the Most High granted me favor and status with Shalmaneser, so that I became purchasing agent for all his needs. Every now and then until his death I would go to Media to buy goods for him. I also deposited several pouches containing a great sum of money with my kinsman Gabael, son of Gabri, who lived at Rages, in Media. But when Shalmaneser died and his son Sennacherib succeeded him as king, the roads to Media became unsafe, so I could no longer go there. (Tobit 1: 12-15)

Galilee was conquered by Tiglath-pileser III in the early 730s BC. This is roughly when Tobit and other Naphtali would have been exiled into Assyrian domains. Shalmaneser V, son of Tiglath-pileser, ascended the throne in 727 and died in 722BC during or shortly after the final conquest of Israel. All of this can be seen as agreeing with Tobit's narrative.

Sargon II reigned for nearly two decades between Shalmaneser and Sennacherib who was the son of Sargon, not Shalmaneser. This historical inaccuracy reflects the curious absence of Sargon - one of the greatest Assyrian rulers - from Judean historical records. In scripture there is only one quick reference to Sargon in the book of Isaiah.

The historical record does confirm that the period following the death of Shalmaneser was one of considerable turmoil during which the the roads between Nineveh (North Central Iraq) and Medea (Northwestern Iran) would have been unsafe. Assyrian control of this region was reasserted by Sargon around 715BC. So we can roughly situate Tobit's story as taking place between, perhaps, 732BC and the middle of the next century.

But Tobit is not primarily a piece of history. It is a very human narrative exploring religious themes in a historical context. The first verse above sets out one of the most important religious themes: Because Tobit was wholehearted God granted him favor and status. Our material condition reflects our spiritual condition. It is a kind of proto-Calvinism, as Calvinism is widely understood if not as Calvin himself intended.

As noted on the first day, this is my first complete reading of Tobit. But from gleanings and some criticism I perceive the symmetry of spiritual and material condition may be one of the principal themes of the narrative. It seems to me this theme reflects the most common religious attitude of my time and probably most times.

I approach this theme with great skepticism. I begin with a strong notion that the expectation of spiritual and material symmetry is misguided. I blame this common (mis)understanding for unnecessarily complicating the relationship of God with many seekers and believers. I perceive it is, in fact, too often the very source of alienation from God.