1   When they reached Ecbatana, Tobias said, ‘Azarias, my friend, take me straight to our kinsman Raguel.’ So Azarias brought him to Raguel's house, and they found him sitting by the courtyard door. They greeted him first, and he replied, ‘A hearty welcome to you, friends. I am glad to see you well after your journey.’ 2   He took them into his house and said to Edna his wife, ‘Is not this young man like my kinsman Tobit?’ 3   Edna asked them, ‘Where do you come from, friends?’ ‘We belong to the tribe of Naphtali,’ they answered, ‘now in captivity at Nineveh.’ 4   ‘Do you know our kinsman Tobit?’ she asked, and they replied, ‘Yes, we do.’ 5   ‘Is he well?’ she said. ‘He is alive and well’, they answered, and Tobias added, ‘He is my father.’ 6   Raguel jumped up and, with tears in his eyes, 7   he kissed him and said, ‘God bless you, my boy, son of a good and noble father. But what grievous news that so good and charitable a man has gone blind!’ He embraced Tobias his kinsman and wept; 8   and Edna his wife and their daughter Sarah also wept for Tobit. Then Raguel slaughtered a ram from the flock and made them warmly welcome.

After they had taken a bath and washed their hands, and had sat down to dinner, Tobias said to Raphael, ‘Azarias, my friend, ask Raguel to give me Sarah my kinswoman.’ 9   Raguel overheard and said to the young man: ‘Eat, drink, and be happy tonight. 10   There is no one but yourself who should have my daughter Sarah; indeed I have no right to give her to anyone else, since you are my nearest kinsman. 11   But I must tell you the truth, my son: I have given her in marriage to seven of our kinsmen, and they all died on their wedding night. My son, eat now and drink, and may the Lord deal kindly with you both.’ Tobias answered, ‘I will not eat or drink anything here until you have disposed of this business of mine.’ 12   Raguel said

The adventures of Tobias to him, ‘I will do so: I give her to you as the ordinance in the book of Moses prescribes. Heaven has ordained that she shall be yours. Take your kinswoman. From now on, you belong to her and she to you; she is yours for ever from this day. The Lord of heaven prosper you both this night, my son, and grant you mercy and peace.’

13   Raguel sent for his daughter Sarah, and when she came he took her hand and gave her to Tobias, saying: ‘Take her to be your wedded wife in accordance with the law and the ordinance written in the book of Moses. Keep her and take her home to your father; and may the God of heaven keep you safe and give you peace and prosperity.’ 14   Then he sent for her mother and told her to bring paper, and he wrote out a marriage contract granting Sarah to Tobias as his wife, as the law of Moses ordains. 15   After that they began to eat and drink.

16   Raguel called his wife and said, ‘My dear, get the spare room ready and take her in there.’ 17   Edna went and prepared the room as he had told her, and took Sarah into it. Edna cried over her, then dried her tears and said: 18   ‘Courage, dear daughter; the Lord of heaven give you joy instead of sorrow. Courage, daughter!’ Then she went out.

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