Tobias Catches a Fish
1 So Tobias and the angel started out toward Media, taking Tobias' dog along with them. They walked on until sunset, then camped by the Tigris River. 2 Tobias had gone down to wash his feet in the river, when suddenly a huge fish jumped up out of the water and tried to swallow one of his feet. Tobias let out a yell, 3 and the angel called to him, “Grab that fish! Don't let it get away.”
Then Tobias grabbed the fish and dragged it up on the bank.
4 “Cut the fish open,” the angel instructed, “and take out its gall bladder, heart, and liver. Keep these with you; they can be used for medicine, but throw away the guts.”
5 Tobias did as the angel had told him. Then he cooked the fish, ate part of it, and salted the rest to take along with him.
The two continued on together until they were near Media. 6 Then Tobias asked, “Azarias, my friend, what diseases can be cured by this gall bladder, heart, and liver?”
7 The angel answered, “The heart and liver can be burned and used to chase away a demon or an evil spirit that is tormenting someone. The attacks will stop immediately, and the person will never be troubled again. 8 You can use the gall bladder to treat someone whose eyes are covered with a white film. Just rub it on his eyes and blow on the film, and he will be able to see again.”
On the Way to Ecbatana
9 When they had reached Media and were approaching the city of Ecbatana, 10 Raphael said, “Tobias, my friend.”
“Yes, what is it?” Tobias asked.
Raphael continued, “Tonight we will stay at the home of your relative Raguel. He has only one child, a daughter named Sarah, 11 and since you are her closest relative, you have the right to marry her. You also have the right to inherit all her father's property. 12 She is sensible, brave, and very beautiful; and her father is a good man. Tonight I'll discuss the marriage proposal with her father, and he will consent to give her to you as your bride. Then, when we return home from the town of Rages, we will celebrate the marriage. Raguel cannot refuse to let you marry her, and he cannot let any other man have her. If he did, then according to the Law of Moses he would deserve the death penalty. He knows that you are the only man who has the right to marry his daughter and receive the inheritance, so follow my advice. Raguel and I will discuss the matter tonight and arrange your engagement to Sarah. When we get back from the city of Rages, we will take her home with us.”
13 Tobias then said to Raphael, “Azarias, my friend, I have already heard about Sarah's seven former husbands, and how each one dropped dead on his wedding night, even before he could get to bed. 14 According to the story I heard, a demon killed them. He doesn't harm Sarah, but he kills every man who tries to get near her. I am afraid of this demon. I am an only child, and if I were to die, the sorrow would send my parents to their graves. They don't even have another son to bury them.”
15 The angel replied, “Have you already forgotten your father's instructions? He told you to marry a woman from your own tribe. So, listen carefully to what I say. Don't worry about the demon. Marry Sarah! I know that tonight Raguel will let Sarah marry you. 16 When you go into the bedroom, take the fish's heart and liver with you and place them on the burning incense, 17 so that the odor will spread throughout the room. When the demon smells it, he will leave and never come near Sarah again. But before you consummate the marriage, both of you must get up and pray for the Lord in heaven to be merciful to you and to protect you. Don't be afraid. Sarah was meant to be yours from the beginning of creation. You will rescue her from the demon, and she will go with you to your home. You and Sarah will have many children, whom you will love very much. So don't worry!”
Tobias listened very carefully to what Raphael had to say. He knew that Sarah was a relative on his father's side of the family. He began to fall in love with her and looked forward to marrying her.
1 And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there.
2 And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him.
3 Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land.
4 To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely.
5 So 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 Ecbatane.
6 Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gal of the fish?
7 And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed.
8 As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.
9 And when they were come near to Rages,
10 The angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath one only daughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife.
11 For to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred.
12 And the maid is fair and wise: now therefore hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel cannot marry her to another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty of death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other.
13 Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all died in the marriage chamber.
14 And 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 wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, but those which come unto her; wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring 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.
15 Then the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the precepts which thy father gave thee, that 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 the evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage.
16 And when thou shalt come into the 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:
17 And the 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.