Tobit 5–6

Tobias then answered and said, Father, I will do all things which thou hast commanded me: ²but how can I receive the money, seeing I know him not? ³Then he gave him ^athe handwriting, and said unto him, Seek thee a man which may go with thee, whiles I yet live, and I will give him wages: and go and receive the money. ⁴Therefore when he went to seek a man, he found ^aaRaphael that was an angel. ⁵But he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me to ^bRages? and knowest thou those places well? ⁶To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael. ⁷Then Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father. ⁸Then he said unto him, Go, and tarry not. So he went in and said to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with me. Then he said, Call him unto me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee. ⁹So he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another. ¹⁰Then Tobit said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and family thou art. ¹¹To whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or a hired man to go with thy son? Then Tobit said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and name. ¹²Then he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, and of thy brethren. ¹³Then Tobit said, ^bbThou art welcome, brother; be not now angry with me, because I have inquired to know thy tribe and thy family; for thou art my brother, of ^can honest and good stock: for I know Ananias and Jonathas, sons of that great Samaias, ^das we went together to Jerusalem to worship, and offered the firstborn, and the tenths of the fruits; and they were not seduced ^ewith the error of our brethren: my brother, thou art of a good stock. ¹⁴But tell me, what wages shall I give thee? wilt thou ^fa drachm a day, and things necessary, as to my own son? ¹⁵Yea, moreover, if ye return safe, I will add something to thy wages. ¹⁶So they were well pleased. Then said he to Tobias, Prepare thyself for the journey, and God send you a good journey. And when his son had prepared all things for the journey, his father said, Go thou with this man, and God, which dwelleth in heaven, prosper your journey, and the angel of God keep you company. So they went forth both, and ^gthe young man’s dog with them.

¹⁷But Anna his mother wept, and ^hsaid to Tobit, Why hast thou sent away our son? is he not the staff of our hand, ⁱin going in and out before us? ¹⁸Be not greedy to add money to money: but let it be as refuse in respect of our child. ¹⁹For that which the Lord hath given us to live with, doth suffice us. ²⁰Then said Tobit to her, Take no care, ^lmy sister; he shall return in safety, and thine eyes shall see him. ²¹For ^mthe good angel will keep him company, and his journey shall be prosperous, and he shall return safe. ²²Then she made an end of weeping.

VI.And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river ^aTigris, and they lodged there. ²And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him. ³Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land. ⁴To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely. ⁵So the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when they had roasted the fish, they did eat it: then they both went on their way, till they drew near to ^bEcbatane. ⁶Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gall of the fish? ⁷And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil or an ^cevil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed. ⁸As for the gall, it is good ^ccto anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.

⁹And when they were come near to ^dRages, ¹⁰the angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with ^eRaguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath ^fone only daughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife. ¹¹For to thee doth the ^gright of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred. ¹²And the maid is fair and wise: now therefore hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from ^dRages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel cannot marry her to another according ^gto the law of Moses, but ^hhe shall be guilty of death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other. ¹³Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias, that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all died in ⁱthe marriage chamber. ¹⁴And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest, if I go in unto her, I die, as the other before: for a ^jwicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, ^kbut those which come unto her: wherefore I also fear lest I die, and ^lbring my father’s and my mother’s life, because of me, to the grave with sorrow: for they have no other son to bury them. ¹⁵Then the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the precepts which thy father gave thee, ^mthat thou shouldest marry a wife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me, O my brother; for she shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of ^jthe evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage. ¹⁶And when thou shalt come into ⁱthe marriage chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke with it: ¹⁷and ^jthe devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more: but when thou shalt come to her, rise up both of you, and pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on you, and save you: fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from the beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go with thee. Moreover I suppose that she shall bear thee children. Now when Tobias had heard these things, he loved her, and his heart was effectually joined to her.

VII.