Tobit 7

Now when they reached Ecbatana, Tobias said to him, “Brother Azariah, take me straight to our brother Raguel.” So he took him to the house of Raguel, and they found Raguel sitting beside the courtyard door. They greeted him first, and he replied, “Joyous greetings, brothers; welcome and good health!” Then he brought them into his house.

Then Raguel said to his wife Edna, “How much the young man resembles my cousin Tobit!”

And Raguel asked them, “Where are you from, brethren?” They answered him, “We belong to the sons of Naphtali, who are captives in Nineveh.”

So he said to them, “Do you know our brother Tobit?” And they said, “Yes, we do.” And he asked them, “Is he in good health?”

They replied, “He is alive and in good health.” And Tobias said, “He is my father.”

Then Raguel sprang up and kissed him and wept.

And he blessed him and exclaimed, “Son of that good and noble man!” When he heard that Tobit had lost his sight, he was stricken with grief and wept.

And his wife Edna and his daughter Sarah wept.

Then Raguel killed a ram from the flock and received them very warmly. When they had bathed and washed themselves and had reclined to dine, Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azarias, ask Raguel to give me my kinswoman Sarah.”

But Raguel overheard it and said to Tobias, “Eat, drink, and be merry; for no one except you, brother, has the right to marry my daughter Sarah. Likewise, I am not at liberty to give her to any other man than yourself, because you are my nearest relative.

But let me explain the true situation to you. I have given my daughter to seven men of our kinsmen, and when each came to her he died in the night. But for the present, my child, eat and drink, and the Lord will act on behalf of you both.” But Tobias said, “I will eat nothing here unless you make a binding agreement with me.”

So Raguel said, “I will do so. She is given to you in accordance with the decree in the book of Moses, and it has been decreed from heaven that she be given to you. Take your kinswoman; from now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today and for ever. May the Lord of heaven, my child, guide and prosper you both this night and grant you mercy and peace.”

Then he called his daughter Sarah, and taking her by the hand he gave her to Tobias to be his wife, saying, “Here she is; take her to be your wife in accordance with the law and the decree written in the book of Moses. Take her and bring her safely to your father. And may the God of heaven prosper your journey with his peace.”

Then he called her mother and told her to bring writing material; and he wrote out a copy of the marriage contract, to the effect that he gave her to him as wife according to the law of Moses.

Then they began to eat and drink.

And Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, “Sister, make up the other room, and take her into it.”

So she did as he said, and took her there; and the girl began to weep. But the mother comforted her daughter in her tears, and said to her,

“Be brave, my child; the Lord of heaven and earth grant you joy in place of this sorrow of yours. Be brave, my daughter.”