Tobit 7
1 And when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel, and Sara met them: and after they had saluted one another, she brought them into the house.
2 Then said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobit my cousin!
3 And Raguel asked them, From whence are ye, brethren? To whom they said, We are of the sons of Nephthalim, which are captives in Nineve.
4 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?
5 And they said, He is both alive, and in good health: and Tobias said, He is my father.
6 Then Raguel leaped up, and kissed him, and wept,
7 And blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art the son of an honest and good man. But when he had heard that Tobit was blind, he was sorrowful, and wept.
8 And likewise Edna his wife and Sara his daughter wept. Moreover they entertained them cheerfully; and after that they had killed a ram of the flock, they set store of meat on the table. Then said Tobias to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of those things of which thou didst talk in the way, and let this business be dispatched.
9 So he communicated the matter with Raguel: and Raguel said to Tobias, Eat and drink, and make merry:
10 For it is meet that thou shouldest marry my daughter: nevertheless I will declare unto thee the truth.
11 I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who died that night they came in unto her: nevertheless for the present be merry. But Tobias said, I will eat nothing here, till we agree and swear one to another.
12 Raguel said, Then take her from henceforth according to the manner, for thou art her cousin, and she is thine, and the merciful God give you good success in all things.
13 Then he called his daughter Sara, and she came to her father, and he took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobias, saying, Behold, take her after the law of Moses, and lead her away to thy father. And he blessed them;
14 And called Edna his wife, and took paper, and did write an instrument of covenants, and sealed it.
15 Then they began to eat.
16 After Raguel called his wife Edna, and said unto her, Sister, prepare another chamber, and bring her in thither.
17 Which when she had done as he had bidden her, she brought her thither: and she wept, and she received the tears of her daughter, and said unto her,
18 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.
Common Questions About Tobit 7
What happens when Tobias and Raphael arrive at Raguel's house in chapter 7?
Raguel and his wife Edna warmly welcome the travelers, and upon learning Tobias is a close relative, Raguel agrees to give Sarah to him in marriage despite the tragic history of her seven previous husbands, and a marriage contract is drawn up that same night.
What does Raguel's willingness to proceed with the marriage reveal?
Despite the very real fear surrounding Sarah's situation, Raguel acts in faith and hospitality, trusting Tobias's claim and God's provision rather than letting fear of repeated tragedy prevent his daughter from finally receiving a chance at a genuine, safe marriage.
Have a different question about this chapter? Ask the Bible Chat Bot below.
Questions to Think About
- Raguel chose to act in faith and hospitality despite a track record of real, repeated tragedy in his own family. Where might fear from past repeated disappointment be holding you back from a genuine opportunity now in front of you?
- This family's hospitality toward a traveling relative quickly opened into a significant, life-changing relationship. How open are you to the possibility that a simple act of hospitality toward someone might lead to something significant you didn't anticipate?
Ask the Bible Chat Bot below if you'd like to talk through any of these.
