APOCRYPHA TOBIT 7 & 8

Tobit 7

Tobias married Sarra Raguel’s daughter

AND then when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel: and Sarra met them, and after they had saluted one another, she brought them into the house.

Then said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobit my cousin?

And Raguel said, Whence are you, my brethren? To whom they said, that they were of the tribe of Nephthalim, and of the captives that dwelt at Nineve.

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?

And they said, He is both alive, and in good health: and Tobias said, He is my father.

Then Raguel leaped, and kissed him, and wept,

And blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art the son of a good and honest man: but when he had heard that Tobit was blind, he was sorrowful and wept.

And likewise Edna his wife, and Sarra his daughter wept. Moreover they received them with a ready mind, and after that they had killed a ram of the stock, they set much meat on the table. Then said Tobias and Raphael, Brother Azarias, put forth those things whereof thou spoke in the way, that this business may be dispatched.

So he communicated the matter with Raguel, and Raguel said to Tobias, Eat, and drink and make merry.

For it is mete that thou shouldest marry my daughter: nevertheless, I will declare unto thee the truth.

I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who died that night which they came in unto her: nevertheless, be thou of a good courage and merry. But Tobias said, I will eat nothing here, until ye bring her here, and betroth her to me.

Raguel said then, Marry her then according to the custom: for thou art her cousin, and she is thine. God which is merciful, make this prosperous to you in all good things.

Then he called his daughter Sarra, and she came to her father, and he took her by the hand, and gave her for wife to Tobias, saying, Behold, take her after the Law of Moses, and lead her away to thy father: and he blessed them,

And called his wife Edna, and he took a book and wrote a contract, and sealed it.

Then they began to eat.

After, Raguel called his wife Edna, and said unto her, Sister, prepare another chamber, and bring her in thither.

Which when she had done, as he had bidden her, she brought her thither: then Sarra wept and her mother wiped away her daughter’s tears,

And said unto her, 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.

Tobit 8

Tobias drives away the evil spirits. 4. He prays to God with his wife. 11 Raguel prepares a grave for his son in Law. 16 Raguel blessed the Lord.

AND when they had shipped, they brought Tobias in unto her.

And as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took coals for perfumes, and put the heart and liver of the fish thereupon, and made a perfume.

The which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, whom the Angel bound.

After that they were both shut in, Tobias rose out of the bed, and said, Sister, arise and let us pray, that God would have pity on us.

Then began Tobias to say, Blessed art thou, o God of our fathers, and blessed is thine holy and glorious Name for ever: let the heavens bless the, and all thy creatures.

Thou made Adam, and gave him Eua his wife for an help, and stay: of them came mankind: thou have said, It is not good, that a man should be alone: let us make unto him an aid like unto himself.

And now, o Lord, I take not this my sister for fornication, but uprightly: therefore grant me mercy, that we may become aged together.

And she said with him, Amen.

So they slept both that night, and Raguel arose, and went and made a grave,

Saying, Is not he dead also?

But when Raguel was come into his house,

He said to his wife Edna, Send one of the maids, and let them see whether he be alive: if not, that I may bury him, and none know it.

So the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both asleep,

And came forth, and told them that he was alive.

Then Raguel praised God, and said, O God, thou art worthy to be praised with all pure, and holy praise: therefore let thy Saints praise thee with all thy creatures, and let all thine Angels and thine elect praise thee for ever.

Thou art to be praised, o Lord: for thou have made me joyful, and that is not come to me which I suspected: but thou hast dealt with us according to great mercy.

Then Raguel had said unto him by an oath, that he should not depart before that the fourteen days of the marriage were expired,

And then he should take the half of his goods and return in safety to his father, and should have the rest, when he and his wife were dead.