The Book of Tobit: Tobias, the Angel Raphael and a Holy Marriage
Quick answer
The Book of Tobit is one of the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. It tells of Tobit, a devout Israelite exile in Nineveh who buried the dead and gave alms, and became blind. His son Tobias makes a journey guided by a companion who turns out to be the archangel Raphael. Tobias marries Sarah, who had been afflicted by a demon, they pray together on their wedding night, and Tobias heals his father's blindness. The book teaches prayer, almsgiving, family love and God's providence.
Key takeaways
- Tobit risked his life to bury the dead of his people in exile.
- The archangel Raphael, disguised as a man named Azarias, guides Tobias.
- Tobias and Sarah's wedding night prayer is often read at Catholic weddings.
- The book is part of the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles but not most Protestant ones.
The Book of Tobit is one of the most charming stories in Scripture. It has a journey, an angel in disguise, a fish, a demon put to flight, a wedding and a healing. Beneath the adventure lies a deep lesson about trusting God in ordinary family life.
Tobit in Exile
Tobit was an Israelite of the tribe of Nephtali, taken captive to Nineveh when Assyria conquered the northern kingdom. He stayed faithful to God in a foreign land. He gave alms, fed the hungry, and, at great risk, buried the bodies of fellow Israelites the king had killed and left unburied.
One day, after burying a dead man, Tobit lay down outside, and droppings from birds fell into his eyes. He became blind. Poor and humiliated, he prayed to God for death.
Sarah’s Sorrow
At the same time, in Media, a young woman named Sarah was also praying for help. She had been married seven times, and each husband had been killed on the wedding night by a demon named Asmodeus. God heard both prayers and sent the archangel Raphael to help them.
The Journey
Tobit sent his son Tobias to collect money he had left with a relative in Media. Tobias needed a guide. A young man appeared who said his name was Azarias and offered to go. It was Raphael in disguise. Tobias’s dog went with them.
On the way, a large fish leapt from the Tigris River. Raphael told Tobias to catch it and keep its heart, liver and gall.
The Wedding
Raphael led Tobias to the home of Raguel, Sarah’s father, and told him that Sarah was meant to be his wife. Following Raphael’s instructions, Tobias drove away the demon. Then he and Sarah prayed together on their wedding night. Their prayer is often read at weddings:
And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever. (Tobias 8:9, Douay-Rheims)
Sarah’s parents, expecting the worst, had dug a grave. In the morning they found the couple sleeping safely and rejoiced.
Healing and Revelation
Returning home, Tobias rubbed the fish’s gall on his father’s eyes, and Tobit could see again. When they tried to pay Azarias, he revealed who he was: “I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord” (Tobit 12:15). He told them that prayer with fasting and almsgiving is good, and that God had seen Tobit’s good works.
What It Teaches
- God’s providence works through ordinary events, journeys and family ties.
- Almsgiving and care for the dead are works of mercy pleasing to God.
- Marriage is a holy calling, begun in prayer.
- Angels guide and protect us, often unseen.
A Prayer for a Marriage (Original Prayer)
Lord, You blessed Tobias and Sarah. Bless our marriage (or the marriage of [names]). Keep us faithful, patient and kind, and let us grow old together in Your love. St. Raphael, pray for us. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read our prayer to the Archangel Raphael, learn about the three archangels, or read about the Book of Judith.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't Tobit in Protestant Bibles?
It was not in the Hebrew canon used by Jews after the first century, though it was in the Greek Septuagint used by early Christians. The Church has always accepted it, and the Council of Trent reaffirmed it. Protestant reformers placed it among the "Apocrypha."
Which saint is in the Book of Tobit?
St. Raphael the Archangel, who says, "I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" (Tobit 12:15).
Is Tobias the same as Tobit?
No. Tobit (Tobias the elder in the Douay-Rheims) is the father, and Tobias is the son. Older Catholic Bibles call both Tobias.
Sources
- The Book of Tobit (Douay-Rheims, Tobias)
- Council of Trent, Session IV (1546), Decree on the Canonical Scriptures
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 120, 1611
- Rite of Marriage, Old Testament readings
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