Tobit 6: The fish in the Tigris, and the angel speaks of Sarah

A free study, verse by verse. Text: Brenton’s English of the Greek (1851). Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study

What happens?

Tobias, the angel and the dog stop for the night by the river Tigris, where a large fish leaps out at the young man's foot; at the angel's word he catches it and keeps its gall, heart and liver for medicine. The angel tells him that the smoke of the heart and liver drives off a demon or an evil spirit, and that the gall heals white films in the eyes. Near Ecbatana he tells Tobias that Raguel's daughter Sarah falls to him by right, and when Tobias is afraid because a demon has killed seven husbands, the angel tells him what to do with the heart and liver and to pray, and Tobias comes to love her very much.

Who is speaking?

No verse is in gold: this book has no speaker marks. The narrator tells the story. The angel speaks to Tobias in verses 3 and 4, 7 and 8, 10 to 12, and 15 to 17. Tobias speaks in verse 6, answers "Here I am" in verse 10, and speaks in verses 13 and 14. The text calls the speaker "the angel" and, in the long Greek, Raphael, and Tobias calls him "Brother Azarias". The words about "the Lord of heaven" in verse 17 are the angel's. The last lines of verse 17 are the narrator's.

¹And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there.

In plain English: The young man went out, and the angel with him, and the dog went out with him and went with them. The two of them went on until night came on them (literally: one night happened to them), and they camped by the river Tigris.

Good to know: The long Greek says the dog went with them, and that night came on them. Brenton's verse has no dog here (it has the dog in ) and says "they came in the evening to the river Tigris".

²And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him.

In plain English: The young man went down to the river Tigris to wash his feet, and a large fish leaped up out of the water and tried to swallow the young man's foot, and he cried out.

Good to know: Brenton's verse has "when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him". The long Greek says he went to wash his feet, the fish was large, it tried to swallow his foot, and he cried out.

³Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land.

In plain English: The angel said to the young man, "Take hold of the fish and get a firm grip on it." The young man seized the fish and brought it up onto the land.

⁴To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely.

In plain English: The angel said to him, "Cut the fish open. Take out its gall, its heart and its liver, and keep them with you, and throw away the insides, for its gall, heart and liver are useful as medicine."

Good to know: The long Greek adds that Tobias should throw away the insides, "for its gall, heart and liver are useful as medicine". In the long Greek of Tobit the word for medicine is in 5 verses (counted all forms of pharmakon): two of them are this verse and verse 6.

⁵So the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when they had roasted the fish, they did eat it: then they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatane.

In plain English: The young man cut the fish open and gathered the gall, the heart and the liver. He roasted some of the fish and ate it, and kept some of it salted. Then the two of them went on together until they came near Media.

Good to know: The long Greek adds that Tobias kept some of the fish salted, and says they came near "Media". Brenton's verse has "they did eat it" and "till they drew near to Ecbatane".

⁶Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gall of the fish?

In plain English: Then the young man asked the angel, "Brother Azarias, what medicine is there in the heart and the liver of the fish, and in the gall?"

⁷And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed.

In plain English: He said to him, "As for the heart and the liver of the fish, burn them to make smoke before a man or a woman who is attacked (literally: who has a meeting) by a demon (Brenton: devil) or an evil spirit, and every attack will flee from that person, and they will never stay with him again.

Good to know: Brenton's verse has "if a devil or an evil spirit trouble any ... the party shall be no more vexed". The long Greek speaks of a person "attacked" by a demon or an evil spirit, and says "every attack will flee" and "never stay with him again".

⁸As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.

In plain English: As for the gall, it is for anointing the eyes of a person whose eyes have white films on them, and blowing on the white films, and the eyes become well."

Good to know: The long Greek adds blowing on the white films, and says the eyes "become well". Brenton's verse has "he shall be healed".

⁹And when they were come near to Rages,

In plain English: When he had entered Media and was already near Ecbatana (Brenton: Rages),

Good to know: Brenton's verse, from the short Greek, has "when they were come near to Rages". The long Greek has "When he had entered Media and was already near Ecbatana".

¹⁰the angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath one only daughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife.

In plain English: Raphael said to the young man, "Tobias, brother." He said, "Here I am." He said to him, "Tonight we must stay at Raguel's house. The man is your relative (Brenton: cousin), and he has a daughter named Sarah. He has no son or daughter except Sarah alone (Brenton: one only daughter),

Good to know: In the long Greek Raphael calls Tobias by name, and Tobias answers, "Here I am". The long Greek says Raguel has no son or daughter except Sarah. Brenton's verse here also has "I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife"; in the long Greek words like these come in verse 12.

¹¹For to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred.

In plain English: and you are nearer to her than anyone else, to have her as your inheritance, and it is right for you to inherit what belongs to her father (Brenton: to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred).

¹²And the maid is fair and wise: now therefore hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel cannot marry her to another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty of death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other.

In plain English: The girl is sensible, brave and very beautiful, and her father is a good man." And he said, "It is your right to take her. Listen to me, brother: I will speak to her father about the girl tonight, so that we may take her as your bride, and when we come back from Raguel's (see the note) we will hold her wedding. I know that Raguel cannot keep her from you or promise her to another man. He would be liable to death (Brenton: guilty of death) by the judgment of the book of Moses, because he knows that it is your right of inheritance to take his daughter rather than any other man. Now listen to me, brother. Let us speak about the girl tonight and promise her to you in marriage, and when we come back from Rages we will take her and bring her with us to your house."

Good to know: The long Greek is much longer than Brenton's verse. It calls Sarah "sensible, brave and very beautiful" and her father "a good man", and speaks twice of asking for her that night. It first says "when we come back from Raguel's" and then "when we come back from Rages". It has "by the judgment of the book of Moses", where Brenton's verse has "according to the law of Moses". says, "Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father".

¹³Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias, that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all died in the marriage chamber.

In plain English: Then Tobias answered Raphael, "Brother Azarias, I have heard that she has already been given to seven husbands, and they died in their bridal chambers: the night they went in to her, they died. And I have heard people say that a demon kills them.

Good to know: The long Greek adds that they died "the night they went in to her", and that Tobias had heard people say "a demon kills them".

¹⁴And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest, if I go in unto her, I die, as the others before: for a wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no one except those which come unto her: wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring my father's and my mother's life because of me to the grave with sorrow: for they have no other son to bury them.

In plain English: And now I am afraid, because it does not harm her, but whoever wants to come near her, it kills him. I am my father's only son. I am afraid that I will die and bring my father's and my mother's life down in pain, because of me, to their grave, and they have no other son to bury them."

Good to know: Brenton's verse has "a wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no one except those which come unto her". The long Greek has "it does not harm her, but whoever wants to come near her, it kills him"; it does not say the demon loves her.

¹⁵Then the angel said to him, Dost thou not remember the precepts that thy father gave thee, that thou shouldest marry a wife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me, O my brother; for she shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of the evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage.

In plain English: He said to him, "Do you not remember your father's commands, how he commanded you to take a wife from your father's house? Now listen to me, brother: take no account of this demon, and take her. I know that this night she will be given to you as wife.

Good to know: The long Greek has "a wife from your father's house" and "I know that this night she will be given to you". Brenton's verse has "of thine own kindred" and "for she shall be given thee to wife".

¹⁶And when thou shalt come into the marriage chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke with it:

In plain English: When you go into the bridal chamber, take some of the liver of the fish and the heart, and put them on the ashes of the incense (Brenton: perfume), and the smell will go out,

¹⁷and the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more: but when thou shalt come to her, rise up both of you, and pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on you, and save you: fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from the beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go with thee. Moreover I suppose that she shall bear thee children. Now when Tobias had heard these things, he loved her, and his heart was effectually joined to her. And he came to Ecbatane.

In plain English: and the demon (Brenton: devil) will smell it and flee, and it will never appear near her again, for all time. And when you are about to be with her, first both of you get up and pray, and ask the Lord of heaven that mercy and safety may come on you. Do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before time began (literally: before the age; Brenton: appointed unto thee from the beginning), and you will save her, and she will go with you. I suppose you will have children by her, and they will be like brothers to you. Do not worry." When Tobias heard Raphael's words, and that she was his relative (literally: his sister) from the family line of his father's house, he loved her very much, and his heart clung to her. (Brenton's last words here, "And he came to Ecbatane", begin chapter 7 in the Greek; see the note.)

Good to know: The long Greek has "pray, and ask the Lord of heaven that mercy and safety may come on you" where Brenton's verse has "pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on you, and save you". The long Greek adds that the children "will be like brothers to you", and that Sarah was his relative "from the family line of his father's house".

Good to know: Brenton's last words, "And he came to Ecbatane", are in the Greek the start of chapter 7. The long Greek has there "And when he came into Ecbatana".