'ἀ δελφός' and the Theme of Kinship in Tobit

This paper will focus on the theological and narrative contexts in which ἀ δελφός appears. Accordingly, the viewpoints of the narrator, the other characters, and the plot are part of this study. I will argue that the kinship term ἀ δελφός in Tobit centers around the social and religious importance of social justice and endogamy, i.e., marrying within the Jewish faith and ancestral kinship group, and that both are significant themes in the plot. I will further argue that ἀ δελφός is a key word governing the theme of kinship in Tobit, and that the repetition of the word forms a recurring pattern that is a significant component of both plot and religious meaning in the first eight chapters of Tobit. By repeating ἀ δελφός, the Tobit narrative conveys meaning, viz., the importance of kinship within Judaism regarding social justice and marriage.