GABAEL, or Gabelus, of the Tribe of Naphtali, having been carried into captivity Tob. i. 16, 17.beyond the Euphrates, with Tobit his relation, settled at Rages, a city of Media. He borrowed ten talents of Silver of his kinsman Tobit. These ten talents were In the year of the World 3281, before J. C. 717, before the Vulgar Æra 721.worth four thousand five hundred pounds, reckoning an Hebrew talent at fifty Mina’s, or four hundred and fifty pounds.
Tobit believing himself to be near his end, sent his son Tobias to Rages, to desire the payment of this debt from his cousin Gabael. But Tobias having married at Ecbatane, by the advice of the Angel Raphaël, who under the name of Azarias, was his guide, and not being able to go himself to Rages, he intreated Azarias, his conductor, to go thither, and bring the sum back with him, which was due from Gabael. Azarias acquitted himself of this commission, brought the ten Talents, and Gabael, whom he had persuaded to come to Tobias’s wedding at Ecbatane. The Hebrew and Greek Texts of Tobit imply, that the Talents which Tobias was to see repaid, were not lent, but left in trust with Gabael, and as such were received by him from Tobit.