Tobit Chapter 8

1. When they finished dining, they led Tobias to her. 2. As he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and put the heart and the liver of the fish upon the embers of the incense and made smoke.+ 3. When the demon smelled the fragrant scent, he fled to the upper parts of Egypt, and there the angel bound him. 4. While both were enclosed in the room, Tobias rose up from the bed and said, 'Arise, sister, and let us pray that the Lord will have mercy upon us." 5. So Tobias began to pray, saying:

"Blessed are You, O God of our fathers, and blessed in Your holy and glorious name unto the ages. The heavens and all Your creatures bless You.+ 6. You made Adam and gave him Eve as a helper, his wife as a support. From them the seed of mankind came to be. You said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. Let Us make a helper for him like himself.'+ 7. O Lord, I now take this my sister as my wife, not on account of fornication, but in truth. Command that she and I may have mercy, and in this grow old together."+

8. And with him she said, "Amen." 9. Then both fell asleep for the night.

10. But Raguel rose up and went outside and dug a grave, saying, "He, too, may have died."+ 11. Raguel then went back into his house 12. and said to his wife Edna, "Send one of the maids to see if indeed Tobias is alive. If he is not, let us bury him so that no one may know." 13. So the maid went to the door, and when she opened it she found both of them sleeping. 14. She came out and tole the two of them that he was alive.

15. Then Raguel blessed God, saying:

"Blessed are You, the God, with every pure and holy blessing. Your holy ones and all Your creatures bless You. All Your angels and Your chosen ones bless You unto all the ages.+ 16. Blessed are You, for You have made me glad, and it did not turn out for me as I suspected. Rather, You did with us according to Your abundant mercy. 17. Blessed are You, for You had mercy on our two only children. O Lord, show them mercy, and complete their life in health and with gladness and mercy."

18. Then he ordered his household servants to fill in the grave.

19. After this he provided a wedding feast for them lasting fourteen days.+ 20. Before the time of the wedding feast was over, Raguel swore an oath and said to Tobias, "You are not to leave from here unless the two of you stay the fourteen days of the wedding feast. 21. At that time take half of my belongings and go in good health to your father. The remainder will be yours when I and my wife die."

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Notes:

+8:2-4 - The demon is exorcized both by the incense and by the prayers to the Lord. The psalmist connects these two actions when he writes, "Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense."

+8:5 - See note for 3:11.

+8:6 - See Gn 2:18.

+8:7 - Though they are young, Tobias prays that he and his bride will grow old together. In the Orthodox wedding service, the priest prays over the bridal pair: "Grant them to lead an upright and blameless life even unto a ripe old age."

+8:10-14 - During the night Raguel rose up and dug a grave for Tobias, fearing he may have died. This was not the case.

+8:15-17 - Raguel is careful to bless God for His abundant mercy in sparing Tobias' life.

+8:19-21 - Normally a wedding feast lasted seven days (see 11:18). Raguel also contributes half of his possessions as his gift.