The archangel Rafael is identified in art by his wings and his fish. In this modern Mexican devotional statue he also carries a gourd of drinking water for his travels with Tobias. (Private collection.)
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Tobias proposes to marry Sarah despite her unfortunate history.
[1] And when they arrived at Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel, and Sarah met them. And after they had greeted one another, she brought them into the house.
[2] Then Raguel said to Edna his wife, “How much this young man is like Tobit my kinsman!”
[3] And Raguel asked them, “Where do you come from, brethren?” They said to him, “We are of the sons of Naphtali, who are captives in Nineveh.”
[4] Then he said to them, “Do you know Tobit our kinsman?” And they said, “We know him.” Then he said, “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 he blessed him and said to him, “You are the son of an honest and good man.” But when he heard that Tobit was blind, he was sorrowful and wept. [8] And likewise Edna his wife and Sarah his daughter wept.
Yet still they entertained them cheerfully, and afterwards they had a ram of the flock killed, and they set a supply of meat on the table.
Then Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, speak about those things which you spoke about on the way here, and let this matter be completed.”
[9] So he communicated the matter to Raguel. And Raguel said to Tobias, “Eat and drink, and make merry, [10] for it is fitting that you should marry my daughter. Nevertheless I will declare to you the truth. [11] I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who each died on the night that they came in to her. Nevertheless be merry for now.”
But Tobias said, “I will eat nothing here until we agree and swear one to another.”
[12] Raguel said, “Then take her from this time forward, according to the custom, for you are her kinsman, and she is yours, and may the merciful God give you good success in all things.”
[13] Then he called his daughter Sarah, 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 your father.” And he blessed them.
[14] And he called Edna his wife, and took paper and wrote an instrument of covenants and sealed it. [15] Then they began to eat.
[16] Afterwards Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, “Sister, prepare another room and bring her into it.” [17] Then, when she had done as he had asked her, she brought her into it. And she wept and received the tears of her daughter, and she said to her, [18] ”Be of good comfort, my daughter. May the Lord of heaven and earth give you joy in place of this your sorrow. Be of good comfort, my daughter.”
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The World English Bible, a copyright-free modern English rendering of a 1901 translation that has now passed into the public domain.