At Raguel's House
1 When 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 2 and said to his wife Edna, “Doesn't this young man look just like my cousin Tobit?”
3 Edna 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.”
4 Edna said, “Do you know our cousin Tobit?”
“We certainly do know him,” they answered.
“How is he?” she asked.
5 “He is alive and well,” they replied.
Then Tobias added, “Tobit is my father.” 6 At that Raguel got up, and with tears of joy in his eyes he kissed Tobias. 7 Then 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. 8 His 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?”
9 But Raguel overheard the question and said to Tobias, 10 “Eat 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. 11 I 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.”
12 Raguel 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
13 Then 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.”
14 Raguel 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. 15 After the ceremony they began the meal.
16 Raguel called his wife and said, “Get the spare room ready, my dear, and take Sarah there.”
17 Edna 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, 18 “Don'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.
1 And when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel, and Sara met them: and after they had saluted one another, she brought them into the house.
2 Then said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobit my cousin!
3 And Raguel asked them, From whence are ye, brethren? To whom they said, We are of the sons of Nephthalim, which are captives in Nineve.
4 Then he said to them, Do ye know Tobit our kinsman? And they said, We know him. Then said he, Is he in good health?
5 And they said, He is both alive, and in good health: and Tobias said, He is my father.
6 Then Raguel leaped up, and kissed him, and wept,
7 And blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art the son of an honest and good man. But when he had heard that Tobit was blind, he was sorrowful, and wept.
8 And likewise Edna his wife and Sara his daughter wept. Moreover they entertained them cheerfully; and after that they had killed a ram of the flock, they set store of meat on the table. Then said Tobias to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of those things of which thou didst talk in the way, and let this business be dispatched.
9 So he communicated the matter with Raguel: and Raguel said to Tobias, Eat and drink, and make merry:
10 For it is meet that thou shouldest marry my daughter: nevertheless I will declare unto thee the truth.
11 I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who died that night they came in unto her: nevertheless for the present be merry. But Tobias said, I will eat nothing here, till we agree and swear one to another.
12 Raguel said, Then take her from henceforth according to the manner, for thou art her cousin, and she is thine, and the merciful God give you good success in all things.
13 Then he called his daughter Sara, and she came to her father, and he took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobias, saying, Behold, take her after the law of Moses, and lead her away to thy father. And he blessed them;
14 And called Edna his wife, and took paper, and did write an instrument of covenants, and sealed it.
15 Then they began to eat.
16 After Raguel called his wife Edna, and said unto her, Sister, prepare another chamber, and bring her in thither.
17 Which when she had done as he had bidden her, she brought her thither: and she wept, and she received the tears of her daughter, and said unto her,
18 Be of good comfort, my daughter; the Lord of heaven and earth give thee joy for this thy sorrow: be of good comfort, my daughter.