Tobit 5–6

Chapter 5

¹Then Tobias answered him, “Father, I will do everything that you have commanded me; ²but how can I obtain the money when I do not know the man?” ³Then Tobit gave him the receipt, and said to him, “Find a man to go with you and I will pay him wages as long as I live; and go and get the money.” ⁴So he went to look for a man; and he found Raphael, who was an angel, ⁵but Tobias did not know it. Tobias said to him, “Can you go with me to Rages in Media? Are you acquainted with that region?” ⁶The angel replied, “I will go with you; I am familiar with the way, and I have stayed with our brother Gabael.” ⁷Then Tobias said to him, “Wait for me, and I shall tell my father.” ⁸And he said to him, “Go, and do not delay.” So he went in and said to his father, “I have found some one to go with me.” He said, “Call him to me, so that I may learn to what tribe he belongs, and whether he is a reliable man to go with you.”

⁹So Tobias^p invited him in; he entered and they greeted each other. ¹⁰Then Tobit said to him, “My brother, to what tribe and family do you belong? Tell me.” ¹¹But he answered, “Are you looking for a tribe and a family or for a man whom you will pay to go with your son?” And Tobit said to him, “I should like to know, my brother, your people and your name.” ¹²He replied, “I am Azarias the son of the great Ananias, one of your relatives.” ¹³Then Tobit said to him, “You are welcome, my brother. Do not be angry with me because I tried to learn your tribe and family. You are a relative of mine, of a good and noble lineage. For I used to know Ananias and Jathan, the sons of the great Shemaiah, when we went together to Jerusalem to worship and offered the first-born of our flocks and the tithes of our produce. They did not go astray in the error of our brethren. My brother, you come of good stock. ¹⁴But tell me, what wages am I to pay you—a drachma a day, and expenses for yourself as for my son? ¹⁵And besides, I will add to your wages if you both return safe and sound.” So they agreed to these terms.

¹⁶Then he said to Tobias, “Get ready for the journey, and good success to you both.” So his son made the preparations for the journey. And his father said to him, “Go with this man; God who dwells in heaven will prosper your way, and may his angel attend you.” So they both went out and departed, and the young man’s dog was with them.

¹⁷But Anna,^q his mother, began to weep, and said to Tobit, “Why have you sent our child away? Is he not the staff of our hands as he goes in and out before us? ¹⁸Do not add money to money, but consider it as rubbish as compared to our child. ¹⁹For the life that is given to us by the Lord is enough for us.” ²⁰And Tobit said to her, “Do not worry, my sister; he will return safe and sound, and your eyes will see him. ²¹For a good angel will go with him; his journey will be successful, and he will come back safe and sound.” ²²So she stopped weeping.

Chapter 6

¹Now as they proceeded on their way they came at evening to the Tigris river and camped there. ²Then the young man went down to wash himself. A fish leaped up from the river and would have swallowed the young man; ³and the angel said to him, “Catch the fish.” So the young man seized the fish and threw it up on the land. ⁴Then the angel said to him, “Cut open the fish and take the heart and liver and gall and put them away safely.” ⁵So the young man did as the angel told him; and they roasted and ate the fish.

And they both continued on their way until they came near to Ecbatana. ⁶Then the young man said to the angel, “Brother Azarias, of what use is the liver and heart and gall of the fish?” ⁷He replied, “As for the heart and liver, if a demon or evil spirit gives trouble to any one, you make a smoke from these before the man or woman, and that person will never be troubled again. ⁸And as for the gall, anoint with it a man who has white films in his eyes, and he will be cured.”

⁹When they approached Ecbatana,^{r 10}the angel said to the young man, “Brother, today we shall stay with Raguel. He is your relative, and he has an only daughter named Sarah. I will suggest that she be given to you in marriage, ¹¹because you are entitled to her and to her inheritance, for you are her only eligible kinsman. ¹²The girl is also beautiful and sensible. Now listen to my plan. I will speak to her father, and as soon as we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage. For I know that Raguel, according to the law of Moses, cannot give her to another man without incurring the penalty of death, because you rather than any other man are entitled to the inheritance.”

¹³Then the young man said to the angel, “Brother Azarias, I have heard that the girl has been given to seven husbands and that each died in the bridal chamber. ¹⁴Now I am the only son my father has, and I am afraid that if I go in I will die as those before me did, for a demon is in love with her, and he harms no one except those who approach her. So now I fear that I may die and bring the lives of my father and mother to the grave in sorrow on my account. And they have no other son to bury them.”

¹⁵But the angel said to him, “Do you not remember the words with which your father commanded you to take a wife from among your own people? Now listen to me, brother, for she will become your wife; and do not worry about the demon, for this very night she will be given to you in marriage. ¹⁶When you enter the bridal chamber, you shall take live ashes of incense and lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish so as to make a smoke. ¹⁷Then the demon will smell it and flee away, and will never again return. And when you approach her, rise up, both of you, and cry out to the merciful God, and he will save you and have mercy on you. Do not be afraid, for she was destined for you from eternity. You will save her, and she will go with you, and I suppose that you will have children by her.” When Tobias heard these things, he fell in love with her and yearned deeply for her.