Tobit 8: The demon is driven away, Tobias and Sarah pray, and the wedding feast begins

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?

When Tobias is brought into the room, he remembers Raphael's words and puts the fish's liver and heart on the ashes of the incense. The smell holds the demon back, and it runs off to the parts of Egypt, where Raphael binds it. Tobias and Sarah get up and pray together, while Raguel and his servants dig a grave in case Tobias has died. A maid finds the two of them asleep; Raguel and his household bless God, the grave is filled in before dawn, and Raguel prepares a feast and keeps Tobias for fourteen days, giving him half of all he has.

Who is speaking?

No verse is in gold: there is no speaker data for Tobit. The narrator tells the story. Tobias speaks to Sarah in verse 4 and prays in verses 5 to 7; the words "It is not good for the man to be alone" in verse 6 are God's words as Tobias tells them in his prayer. Both of them say "Amen" in verse 8. Raguel speaks in verses 10 and 12, and gives orders in verses 18 and 19. In the long Greek "they" bless God in verses 15 to 17 (Brenton: Raguel). Raguel speaks to Tobias in verses 20 and 21.

¹And when they had supped, they brought Tobias in unto her.

In plain English: When they had finished eating and drinking, they wanted to go to bed. They took the young man and brought him into the room.

Good to know: The long Greek has "they wanted to go to bed" and "brought him into the room". Brenton's verse has "they brought Tobias in unto her".

²And as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took the ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith .

In plain English: Tobias remembered Raphael's words. He took the fish's liver and heart out of the bag he had, and put them on the ashes of the incense.

Good to know: In the long Greek Tobias takes the liver and heart "out of the bag he had" and puts them on the ashes of the incense, and the words "made a smoke" are not there. Brenton's verse has "took the ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith". These are the words of Raphael in .

³The which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

In plain English: The smell of the fish held the demon back (literally: hindered), and it ran away up into the parts of Egypt. Raphael went and tied its feet together there, and bound it at once.

Good to know: The long Greek has "the smell of the fish held the demon back", "the parts of Egypt", and "Raphael ... tied its feet together there, and bound it at once". Brenton's verse has "he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him". said Raphael was sent "to bind Asmodeus the evil spirit" (Brenton).

The Greek word: "The evil spirit" (Brenton) is daimonion, a demon. In the long Greek it is in 7 verses, all in chapters 3, 6 and 8. In 3:8 and 3:17 it is named "Asmodeus, the evil demon".

⁴And after that they were both shut in together, Tobias rose out of the bed, and said, Sister, arise, and let us pray that God would have pity on us.

In plain English: They went out and shut the door of the room. Tobias got up from the bed and said to her, "Sister, get up. Let us pray and ask our Lord to show us mercy and to save us."

Good to know: In the long Greek "they" go out and shut the door, and Tobias asks Sarah to pray that "our Lord" will show them mercy and save them. Brenton's verse has "after that they were both shut in together" and "let us pray that God would have pity on us".

⁵Then began Tobias to say, Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed is thy holy and glorious name for ever; let the heavens bless thee, and all thy creatures.

In plain English: She got up, and they began to pray and to ask that they might be saved. He began to say, "Blessed are you, God of our fathers, and blessed is your name for all the ages of the generations. Let the heavens and all that you have made bless you for all the ages.

Good to know: In the long Greek Sarah gets up and the two of them pray together, and "holy and glorious" are not there. Brenton's verse has "Then began Tobias to say" and "blessed is thy holy and glorious name for ever".

⁶Thou madest Adam, and gavest him Eve his wife for an helper and stay: of them came mankind: thou hast said, It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself.

In plain English: You made Adam, and you made Eve his wife as a helper and a support for him, and from the two of them came the human race (literally: the seed of humans). And you said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. Let us make him a helper like himself.'

Good to know: Tobias' words are close to . In the Greek of Genesis, as in Brenton's English of it, God says "let us make for him a help suitable to him". The Hebrew has "I will make him a helper comparable to him."

⁷And now, O Lord, I take not this my sister for lust, but uprightly: therefore mercifully ordain that we may become aged together.

In plain English: And now, I am not taking this sister of mine out of lust (or: for sexual sin; see the note), but in truth. Grant (literally: command) that she and I may find mercy, and grow old together."

The Greek word: "Lust" (Brenton) is porneia, a word for sexual sin. In the long Greek of Tobit this is its only verse. Brenton gives the same word as "whoredom" in .

What changes: Read as "lust", Tobias says he is not taking Sarah for desire. Read as "sexual sin", he says this marriage is not a sinful union. Either way, he says he takes her "in truth".

Good to know: The long Greek has "that she and I may find mercy". Brenton's verse has "O Lord" and "mercifully ordain that we may become aged together".

⁸And she said with him, Amen.

In plain English: And together they said, "Amen."

Good to know: In the long Greek "they" say Amen together. Brenton's verse has "she said with him, Amen".

⁹So they slept both that night. And Raguel arose, and went and made a grave,

In plain English: And they slept that night. Raguel got up and called his servants to go with him, and they went and dug a grave,

Good to know: In the long Greek Raguel calls his servants, and they dig the grave together. Brenton's verse has "Raguel arose, and went and made a grave".

¹⁰saying, I fear lest he also be dead.

In plain English: for he said, "What if he dies, and we become a laughingstock and a disgrace?"

Good to know: The long Greek has "What if he dies, and we become a laughingstock and a disgrace?" Brenton's verse has "I fear lest he also be dead".

¹¹But when Raguel was come into his house,

In plain English: When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel came into the house and called his wife,

Good to know: The long Greek has "when they had finished digging the grave" and "called his wife". Brenton's verse has "when Raguel was come into his house".

¹²he said unto his wife Edna, Send one of the maids, and let her see whether he be alive: if he be not, that we may bury him, and no man know it.

In plain English: and said, "Send one of the maids to go in and see whether he is alive. If he has died, let us bury him, so that no one knows."

¹³So the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both asleep,

In plain English: They sent the maid, lit the lamp and opened the door. She went in and found them sleeping, sound asleep together.

Good to know: The long Greek has "they sent the maid, lit the lamp" and "sound asleep together". Brenton's verse has "the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both asleep".

¹⁴and came forth, and told them that he was alive.

In plain English: The maid came out and told them that he was alive, and that nothing was wrong.

Good to know: The long Greek adds "and that nothing was wrong".

¹⁵Then 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.

In plain English: Then they blessed the God of heaven and said, "Blessed are you, God, with every pure blessing. Let them bless you for all the ages.

Good to know: In the long Greek "they" bless "the God of heaven" with "every pure blessing". Brenton's verse has "Raguel praised God", "all pure and holy praise", and "let thy saints praise thee with all thy creatures: and let all thine angels and thine elect praise thee for ever".

¹⁶Thou art to be praised, for thou hast made me joyful; and that is not come to me which I suspected; but thou hast dealt with us according to thy great mercy.

In plain English: Blessed are you, because you have made me glad. It has not turned out as I feared (literally: suspected), but you have dealt with us according to your great mercy.

¹⁷Thou art to be praised, because thou hast had mercy of two that were the only begotten children of their fathers: grant them mercy, O Lord, and finish their life in health with joy and mercy.

In plain English: Blessed are you, because you have had mercy on two only children. Show them mercy, Master, and save them, and let them live out their life with gladness and mercy."

The Greek word: "Only begotten" (Brenton) is monogeneis, only children. In the long Greek Sarah uses the word of herself in (Brenton: "I am the only daughter of my father"), and Tobias uses it of himself in (Brenton: "I am the only son of my father"). "O Lord" (Brenton) is despota, "Master".

Good to know: The long Greek has "and save them" and "with gladness and mercy". Brenton's verse has "the only begotten children of their fathers" and "finish their life in health with joy and mercy".

¹⁸Then Raguel bade his servants to fill the grave.

In plain English: Then he told his servants to fill in the grave before dawn came.

Good to know: The long Greek adds "before dawn came".

¹⁹And he kept the wedding feast fourteen days.

In plain English: He told his wife to bake a great deal of bread. He went to the herd and brought two oxen and four rams, and told them to prepare them; and they began to get things ready.

Good to know: In the long Greek Raguel tells his wife to bake bread and brings two oxen and four rams for the feast. Brenton's verse has "he kept the wedding feast fourteen days".

²⁰For before the days of the marriage were finished, Raguel had said unto him by an oath, that he should not depart till the fourteen days of the marriage were expired;

In plain English: He called Tobias and said to him, "For fourteen days you are not to move from here. Stay here with me, eating and drinking, and make glad the heart (literally: the soul) of my daughter, who has suffered so much grief.

Good to know: In the long Greek Raguel speaks to Tobias himself and asks him to gladden his daughter, "who has suffered so much grief". Brenton's verse tells it: "Raguel had said unto him by an oath, that he should not depart till the fourteen days of the marriage were expired".

²¹and then he should take the half of his goods, and go in safety to his father; and should have the rest when I and my wife be dead.

In plain English: Take half of all I have now, and go back in good health to your father; and the other half will be yours when I and my wife die. Take courage, child. I am your father, and Edna is your mother. Now we are here beside you and your sister (the Greek here is hard to put word for word), from now on and forever. Take courage, child."

Good to know: The long Greek goes on: "Take courage, child. I am your father, and Edna is your mother ..." Brenton's verse has only "then he should take the half of his goods, and go in safety to his father; and should have the rest when I and my wife be dead".