Tobit Chapter 6

*The Journey to Rages*
1. They went on the journey and came to the Tigris River. So they spent the evening there.+ 2. The young man went down to wash himself, and a fish jumped up from the river and was determined to swallow the young man. 3. The angel said to him, "Take hold of the fish." So the young man grabbed the fish and put it on the bank. 4. Then the angel said to him, "Cut open the fish. Take the heart, the liver, and the gall and put them in a safe place." 5. The young man did as the angel commanded him. Then they cooked the fish and ate it.

6. After this, they traveled together until they came near to Ecbatana. 7. Then the young man said to the angel, "Brother Azarias, what is the purpose of the liver, the heart, and the gall of the fish?" 8. He replied, "If a demon or an evil spirit troubles anyone, the heart and the liver must be used to make smoke before the man or woman, and that person will never be troubled again. 9. As for the gall, use it to anoint a man who has white films on his eyes, and he will be healed."

10. As they came near Rages, 11. the angel said to the young man, "Brother, wil will spend the night with Raguel. He is your relative and with him is his only child, a daughter named Sarah. 12. I will speak for her that she might be given to you as a wife, because her inheritance belongs to you; for you alone are from her people. The girl is beautiful and she is sensible.

13. "So now listen to me, for I will speak to her father. When we return from Rages, we will celebrate the wedding. For I know that Raguel cannot give her to any other man according to the rule of Moses, or he will be subject to death. Thus it is proper that you receive the inheritance rather than another man."+

14. Then the young man said to the angel, "Brother Azarias, I have heard the girl was given seven husbands, and they all perished in the bridal chamber.+ 15. Now I am the only son of my father, and I fear for myself lest, entering the bridal chamber, I may die even as those before me. For a demon loves her, and he does not harm anyone except those who approach her. Now I fear for myself lest I die and bring the life of my father and mother down into their tomb with grief and sorrow upon me. They have no other son who will bury them."

16. But the angel said to him, "Do you not remember the words your father commanded you, to take a wife for yourself from among your people? Now listen to me, brother, for she will be a wife to you. As for the demon, have no concern, for this night she will be given to you as a wife.+ 17. If you enter the bridal chamber, you will take with you ashes of incense, and lay some of it on the heart and liver of the fish. Then you will make smoke, and the demon will smell it and flee and never return. 18. When you approach her, both of you will rise up and cry out to the merciful God. He will save you and be merciful. Do not fear for yourself, for she has been prepared for you from of old. You will save her and she will go with you. I believe that you will have children by her."

19. As Tobias heard these words, he loved her and his soul was very much united to her.

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Notes:
+6:1-9 - The fish not only provided food (v. 5), but its liver and heart (v. 7) were set aside to cast out a demon (v. 8). Gall is bile used as a medicine; it would later bring a cure to Tobit's eight years of blindness (11:11-14).

+6:13 According to the rule of Moses is likely a reference to Nm 36:8 (though there is no mention of a death penalty), in which it is stated that a daughter with an inheritance must marry within her father's tribe.

+6:14, 15 - Tobias is concerned that Sarah's first seven husbands all died on their wedding night. He knows his death, as the only child, would bring grief and sorrow to his parents.

+6:16-18 - The angel appeals both to (1) the words of Tobit to take a wife from their tribe (Naphtali) and (2) to the merciful God who will cause the demon to flee (see Jam 4:7).