ARKCODEX
Tobit
Ch. 7–9
At Raguel's House
1When Tobias and the angel Raphael had entered the city of Ecbatana, Tobias said, Azarias, my friend, take me to see Raguel as quickly as you can. The angel brought him to Raguel's house, where they found him sitting at the entrance to his courtyard. Raphael and Tobias greeted him first; then he replied, Come in, my friends. You are welcome in my home. Raguel brought them into his house
2and said to his wife Edna, Doesn't this young man look just like my cousin Tobit?
3Edna asked them, Where do you come from? We are Israelites of the tribe of Naphtali, Tobias and Raphael answered, but we are now living in exile in the city of Nineveh in Assyria.
4Edna said, Do you know our cousin Tobit? We certainly do know him, they answered. How is he? she asked.
5He is alive and well, they replied. Then Tobias added, Tobit is my father.
6At that Raguel got up, and with tears of joy in his eyes he kissed Tobias.
7Then he said, God bless you, my child. Your father is a good and noble man. What a terrible tragedy that such an honest and generous man should have lost his sight! He threw his arms around Tobias' neck and wept on his shoulder.
8His wife Edna and his daughter Sarah also wept for Tobit. Raguel gave Tobias and Raphael a warm welcome and had one of his rams slaughtered. After the guests had bathed and were about to sit down to eat, Tobias said to Raphael, Azarias, my friend, when are you going to ask Raguel to let me marry Sarah?
9But Raguel overheard the question and said to Tobias,
10Eat and drink something first and enjoy yourself this evening. You have the right to marry Sarah, and I cannot let anyone else marry her, because you are my closest relative. But I must tell you the truth, my son.
11I have already given her to seven men, all of them relatives. Each one died on his wedding night, as soon as he entered the bedroom. But now, my son, have something to eat and drink. The Lord will take care of you both. Tobias replied, I won't eat or drink until you give me your word.
12Raguel agreed. Certainly I will, he said. I will give her to you just as the Law of Moses commands. God in heaven has arranged this marriage, so take her as your wife. From now on, you belong to each other. Sarah is yours today and forever. May the Lord of heaven keep both of you safe tonight. May he be merciful and kind to you.
The Marriage Ceremony
13Then Raguel called his daughter. When she came in, he took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias with his blessing, Take her to be your wife according to the teachings in the Law of Moses. Take her safely with you to your father's house. May the God of heaven give you a happy life together.
14Raguel asked his wife to bring him a blank scroll so that he could write out the marriage contract. Edna brought him the scroll, and Raguel wrote out the agreement, saying that Sarah was given to Tobias according to the teachings in the Law of Moses.
15After the ceremony they began the meal.
16Raguel called his wife and said, Get the spare room ready, my dear, and take Sarah there.
17Edna made up the bed as Raguel had told her. Then she took Sarah into the room with her, and Sarah began to cry. But Edna wiped away her tears and said,
18Don't worry, Sarah. I'm sure the Lord of heaven will make you happy this time and not sad. So cheer up, my dear. Then Edna left the room.
Tobit 8
The Demon Is Expelled
1When they had finished the meal, and it was time to go to bed, Sarah's parents led young Tobias to the bedroom.
2He remembered Raphael's instructions, so he took the fish's liver and heart out of the bag where he had been keeping them. Then he placed them on the burning incense.
3The smell drove the demon away from them, and he fled to Egypt. Raphael chased after him and caught him there. At once he bound him hand and foot.
The Prayer of Tobias
4When Tobias and Sarah were alone behind closed doors, Tobias got up from the bed and said to his wife, Get up, dear. Let's pray for the Lord to be merciful and to protect us.
5Sarah got up so that they could pray together and ask God for his protection. Then Tobias prayed: God of our ancestors, you are worthy of praise. May your name be honored forever and ever by all your creatures in heaven and on earth.
6You created Adam and gave him his wife Eve to be his helper and support. They became the parents of the whole human race. You said, It is not good for man to live alone. I will make a suitable helper for him.
7Lord, I have chosen Sarah because it is right, not because I lusted for her. Please be merciful to us and grant that we may grow old together.
8Then they both said Amen
Anxious Parents
9and went to bed for the night. Later that night, Raguel called his servants, and together they went out to dig a grave,
10because Raguel thought, Tobias will probably die too, and people will laugh and make fun of us.
11When they finished digging the grave, Raguel went back into the house and said to his wife,
12Send one of the servant women to find out if Tobias is still alive. If he isn't, then we will bury him before anyone finds out.
13They then sent a servant woman to take a lamp and see if he was still alive. As she opened the door, she could see that both of them were sound asleep.
14So she went back and told Raguel and Edna that Tobias was alive and unharmed.
Raguel's Prayer
15Then Raguel praised the God of heaven: You are worthy of our praise, O God. May your people praise you forever, may they praise you with pure hearts.
16I praise you because you have made me glad; you have been merciful to us, and my worst fears did not come true.
17You deserve our praise, O Lord; you were merciful to this young couple, the only children of their parents. Now, grant them your mercy and protection. Let them live out their lives in happiness and love.
18Then Raguel ordered his servants to fill in the grave before dawn.
The Wedding Feast
19Raguel told his wife to bake enough bread for a big feast. Then he went out to the herd and brought back two oxen and four rams, which he ordered his servants to slaughter in preparation for the wedding feast.
20He called for Tobias and vowed that he would not let him leave for two weeks. Stay, and we will eat and drink together, he said. It will do my daughter good after her terrible suffering.
21Then you may take half of what I own and go back to your parents safe and sound. You will inherit the other half when Edna and I die. Have no doubts about our love for you; from now on you are as much our son as Sarah is our daughter. You can be sure of that, my son.
Tobit 9
The Journey to Rages
1Then Tobias called Raphael and said to him,
2Azarias, take four of the servants with you, and two camels, and go to Gabael's house in the town of Rages. Give him the signed document, so that he will give you the money. Then bring him back with you for the wedding feast.
3-4You know that my father is counting the days until I come home, and he will be very upset if I am even one day late. You know, too, how Raguel insists that I must stay, and I cannot disappoint him.
5So Raphael and the four servants went to Rages in Media, where they stayed at Gabael's house. Raphael gave him the signed document and told him that Tobit's son Tobias had recently married, and that Gabael was invited to the wedding feast. At once Gabael counted out the bags of money, which were still sealed, and they loaded them on the camels.
6Very early the next morning, they set out for the wedding feast. When Raphael and Gabael came to Raguel's house, they found Tobias at dinner. Tobias immediately got up and greeted Gabael. With tears in his eyes Gabael returned the greeting and added, You are just like your honest and generous father. May the Lord in heaven bless you and your wife, your mother-in-law, and your father. Praise God! He has let me live to see my cousin Tobias, who looks so much like his father.
Proverbs
Ch. 10
5A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.
6Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.
7Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten.
8Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin.