Book of Nehemiah 1-13, Book of Tobit 1-14

Apparently it's in Book of Nehemiah where the term "Jews" first appears in the Bible.  I would assume, and maybe this is obvious and well-known already, that it's derived from "Jerusalem," much like Salem is from the other end.

This is a first-person account, although it's not Nehemiah's account, which would have been the obvious belief until Nehemiah himself is referenced later a couple of times and clearly not the speaking party.  Whoever the speaker is, he was the cupbearer of Artaxerxes.

This is a book that takes another look at the reconstruction efforts in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.  Like previous examples, it's not exactly the same version we've seen before.

I was struck with the idea that this version makes it sounds a lot like Jesus in the New Testament when he talks about tearing down the temple and rebuilding it in three days.  Christians understand this to reference his later passion, but now I'm thinking it might just as easily have been the idea that a motivated people could make a job like that look easy, which is how the reconstruction efforts look like here, a whole cascade of helpers spontaneously taking up work wherever it's needed.  I'm not saying Jesus was definitely talking like that, but after reading this book, it's not an inconceivable suggestion.  There are doubters who scoff at these efforts, too.

"Should such a man as I...?" is another classic bit of Jewish phrasing, the second such instance I've come across so far.  Since Jews are still talking like this today, clearly it's a long-standing part of the culture, as much as the faith aspects.

Some of the doubters suspect that a revitalized Jerusalem might lead to the same war-like tendencies of Hebrews past.  So all that fighting in previous books, stretching across generations, certainly left an impression on the neighbors.

Tobias is referenced.  It's not clear if it's the same one from the Book of Tobit, but probably it is.  Ezra is referenced, too, and then it becomes almost a complete restating of the Book of Ezra, with more emphasis, ironically, on Ezra himself.  Zechariah, Baruch, Joel, Jeremiah, and Iddo are also referenced.  This is a good time for names to leave an impression in the Jewish tradition!  Most of them (Iddo is the exception) have their own books in the Bible.

It becomes somewhat clear that this book was written outside of direct knowledge of prior books now included in the Bible, especially when it's stated within it that at least one of the books of Moses was read again for the first time.  There's a marked difference, too, in the way it's written, more as a record than history, the difference being how God is active in the history books while he's not in a record of this kind.

The Book of Tobit is a little like the Book of Ruth (without something as obvious as the origins of David hidden within it), not vital in establishing a part of Jewish lore so much as illustrating Jewish life, so it's generally considered apocryphal.  It's also a favorite of mine dating back to college, when I also read Frederick Buechner's On the Road with the Archangel, which is based on it.

Tobit, basically, is the rare faithful Jew.  It's the time of the exile, although Tobit himself is apparently taken captive by the Assyrians in Ninevah.  He's the father of Tobias, who will in short order become the main subject of the book.

Pentecost is referenced.  I always thought of that as a Christian holiday, but apparently it was originally Jewish.

The prophecy of Amos is referenced.  Amos also has a book later in the Bible.

Tobit's main action in the story is his penchant for burying the corpses of fallen comrades who have been martyred by the Assyrians, who don't much want him to be doing that, so he's always close to getting in trouble for it.  He does wind up blind, which is fine because later in the book he's cured of that.

"Command that I now be released from my distress to go to the eternal abode," he says, referencing perhaps the first suggestion that the heavens have given way to Heaven in the Jewish faith by the time this was composed.

Tobias's future bride is Sarah, who has already lost seven husbands thanks to the demon Asmodeus.  This is okay, because someone named Raphael is soon going to help with that, plus Tobit's blindness.  Who's Raphael?  The first named angel of the Bible!  One of seven holy angels.  Another thing referenced for the first time is the concept of saints.  There's also a fish that nearly swallows Tobias, much as Jonah is in his own book.  But don't think about the size of this one, or if it's a whale, because Tobias and Raphael end up eating it.

The phrase, "eat, drink, and be merry" is uttered.  Tobias invokes Adam and Eve when delivering an ode to matrimony.  Tobit an ode, too, and says, "Many nations will come from afar to the name of the Lord," once more giving rise to the belief right there in the Old Testament that one day gentiles would be included in the faith (which is known as Christianity).

"Hallelujah" is uttered.  Jonah is referenced directly.  This one may not be considered essential, but it's certainly a good one to see the workings of everyday Judaism.  It's also a fine break into narrative that doesn't have anything to do with bad kings.  And that's a mighty fine relief at this point!