The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Tobit 06
1 Now as they went on their journey,
they came at evening to the river Tigris,
and they lodged there.
2 But the young man went down to wash
himself, and a fish leaped out of the river,
and would have swallowed up the young
man.
3 But the angel said to him, “Grab the
fish!” So the young man grabbed the fish, and
hauled it up onto the land.
4 And the angel said to him, “Cut the fish
open, and take the heart, the liver, and the
bile, and keep them with you.
5 And the young man did as the angel
commanded him; butthey roasted thefish,
and ate it. And they both went on their
way, till they drew near to Ecbatana.
6 The young man said to the angel,
“Brother Azarias, of what use is the heart,
the liver, and the bile of the fish?”
7 He said to him, “About the heart and
the liver: If a demon or an evil spirit
troubles anyone, we must burn those and
make smoke ofthem before the man or the
woman, and the affliction will flee.
8 But as for the bile, it is good to anoint
a man that has white films in his eyes, and
he will be healed.”
9 But when they drew near to Rages,
10 the angel said to the young man,
“Brother, today we will lodge with Raguel.
He is your kinsman. He has an only daughter
named Sarah. I will speak about her,
that she should be given to you for a wife.
11 For her inheritance belongs to you,
and you only are of her kindred.
12 The maid is fair and wise. And now
hear me, and I will speak to her father.
When we return from Rages we will celebrate
the marriage; for I know that Raguel
may in no way marry her to another according
to the law of Moses, or else he would be liable to
death, because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather
than any other.”
13 Then the young man said to the angel,
“Brother Azarias, I have heard that
this maid has been given to seven men,
and that they all perished in the bridechamber.
14 Now I am the only son of my father,
and I am afraid, lest I go in and die, even
as those before me. For a demon loves
her, which harms no man, but those which
come to her. Now I fear lest I die, and
bring my father’s and my mother’s life to
the grave with sorrow because of me. They
have no other son to bury them.”
15 But the angel said to him, “Don’t you
remember the words which your father
commanded you, that you should take a
wife of your own kindred? Now hear me,
brother; for she will be your wife. Don’t
worry about the demon; for this night she
will be given you as wife.
16 And when† you come into the bridechamber,
you shall take the ashes of incense,
and shall lay upon them some of the
heart and liver of the fish, and shall make
smoke with them.
17 The demon will smell it, and flee away,
and never come again any more. But when
you go near to her, both of you rise up,
and cry to God who is merciful. He will
save you, and have mercy on you. Don’t be
afraid, for she was prepared for you from
the beginning; and you will save her, and
she will go with you. And I suppose that
you will have children with her.”
When Tobias heard these things, he
loved her, and his soul was strongly joined
to her.