Tobit 9–11: I Have Seen You, My Child": The Waiting Mother, and the Eyes Opened

And Tobias called Raphael, and said to him, “Brother Azarias, take with you a servant and two camels, and go to Rages of Media to Gabael, and receive the money for me, and bring him to the wedding feast, because Raguel has sworn that I must not depart. My father counts the days; and if I wait long, he will be very grieved. So Raphael went on his way, and lodged with Gabael, and gave him the handwriting; so he brought forth the bags with their seals, and gave them to him. Then they rose up early in the morning together, and came to the wedding feast. Tobias blessed his wife.

Tobit his father counted every day. When the days of the journey were expired, and they didn’t come, he said, “Is he perchance detained? Or is Gabael perchance dead, and there is no one to give him the money?” He was very grieved.

But his wife said to him, “The child has perished, seeing he waits long.” She began to bewail him, and said, “I care about nothing, my child, since I have let you go, the light of my eyes.” Tobit said to her, “Hold your peace. Don’t worry. He is in good health.”

And she said to him, “Hold your peace. Don’t deceive me. My child has perished.” And she went out every day into the way by which they went, and ate no bread in the day-time, and didn’t stop bewailing her son Tobias for whole nights, until the fourteen days of the wedding feast were expired, which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there.

Then Tobias said to Raguel, “Send me away, for my father and my mother look no more to see me.” But his father-in-law said to him, “Stay with me, and I will send to your father, and they will declare to him how things go with you.” Tobias said, “No. Send me away to my father.”

Raguel arose, and gave him Sarah his wife, and half his goods, servants and cattle and money; and he blessed them, and sent them away, saying, “The God of heaven will prosper you, my children, before I die.” And he said to his daughter, “Honor your father-in-law and your mother-in-law. They are now your parents. Let me hear a good report of you.” Then he kissed her.

Edna said to Tobias, “May the Lord of heaven restore you, dear brother, and grant to me that I may see your children of my daughter Sarah, that I may rejoice before the Lord. Behold, I commit my daughter to you in special trust. Don’t cause her grief.

After these things Tobias also went his way, blessing God because he had prospered his journey; and he blessed Raguel and Edna his wife. Then he went on his way until they drew near to Nineveh. Raphael said to Tobias, “Don’t you know, brother, how you left your father? Let’s run forward before your wife, and prepare the house. But take in your hand the bile of the fish.” So they went their way, and the dog went after them.

Anna sat looking around toward the path for her son. She saw him coming, and said to his father, “Behold, your son is coming with the man that went with him!”

Raphael said, “I know, Tobias, that your father will open his eyes. Therefore anoint his eyes with the bile, and being pricked with it, he will rub, and will make the white films fall away. Then he will see you.”

Anna ran to him, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said to him, “I have seen you, my child! I am ready to die.” They both wept.

Tobit went toward the door and stumbled; but his son ran to him, and took hold of his father. He rubbed the bile on his father’s eyes, saying, “Cheer up, my father.” When his eyes began to hurt, he rubbed them. Then the white films peeled away from the corners of his eyes; and he saw his son, and fell upon his neck.

He wept, and said, “Blessed are you, O God, and blessed is your name forever! Blessed are all your holy angels! For you scourged, and had mercy on me. Behold, I see my son Tobias.” And his son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.

Tobit went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh, rejoicing and blessing God. Those who saw him go marveled, because he had received his sight. Tobit gave thanks before them, because God had shown mercy on him. When Tobit came near to Sarah his daughter-in-law, he blessed her, saying, “Welcome, daughter! Blessed is God who has brought you to us, and blessed are your father and your mother.” And there was joy among all his kindred who were at Nineveh. Achiacharus and Nasbas his brother’s son came. Tobias’ wedding feast was kept seven days with great gladness.