Tobit 6:12 - The maid is fair and wise. And now hear me, and I will speak to her father. When we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage; for I know that Raguel may in no way marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he would be liable to death, because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other.”
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What does "Tobit 6:12" mean?
This verse from Tobit 6:12 outlines a plan by the angel Raphael (disguised as a human, Azarias) to convince Tobit's son, Tobias, to marry Sarah, the daughter of Raguel. Let's break it down:
"The maid is fair and wise." This establishes that Sarah is a desirable match.
"And now hear me, and I will speak to her father. When we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage..." Raphael assures Tobias he will handle the negotiations with Sarah's father, Raguel. The plan is to travel to Rages (in Media, modern-day Iran) to collect a debt owed to Tobit, and then return to marry Sarah.
"...for I know that Raguel may in no way marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he would be liable to death, because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other.” This is the crucial part and explains Raphael's confidence.
"According to the law of Moses": This implies the angel is referring to specific inheritance laws found within the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses). While the Book of Tobit is not canonical in Protestant versions of the Bible, it would have been written within a Jewish cultural context where the Law of Moses was considered paramount.
"Raguel may in no way marry her to another...or else he would be liable to death": The claim is that there's a Mosaic law that requires Sarah to marry her closest male relative if other circumstances (like a previous marriage) have broken the line of inheritance. Otherwise, Raguel would be in violation of the law, and potentially face a severe penalty.
"because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other": This is the most important piece. Tobias is related to Sarah, making him the closest living relative and therefore the person with the right to marry her to keep the inheritance within her family line.
In Summary:
Raphael is explaining to Tobias that he has a legal claim to marry Sarah based on Mosaic law. This law, which isn't explicitly stated in the Bible, is understood to mean that when a woman's previous husbands die, leaving her childless, her closest male relative has the obligation (and right) to marry her to continue the family line and maintain the inheritance within the family. If Raguel marries Sarah to someone else, he would be violating this law, with serious consequences.
This passage is crucial to the story of Tobit, as it explains the angel's insistence on Tobias marrying Sarah, despite the danger posed by the demon Asmodeus, who had killed her previous seven husbands. Raphael believes the law is on Tobias's side and that their marriage will be protected by God.
Tobit 6:12 - The maid is fair and wise. And now hear me, and I will speak to her father. When we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage; for I know that Raguel may in no way marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he would be liable to death, because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other.”
What does "Tobit 6:12" mean?
This verse from Tobit 6:12 outlines a plan by the angel Raphael (disguised as a human, Azarias) to convince Tobit's son, Tobias, to marry Sarah, the daughter of Raguel. Let's break it down:
"The maid is fair and wise." This establishes that Sarah is a desirable match.
"And now hear me, and I will speak to her father. When we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage..." Raphael assures Tobias he will handle the negotiations with Sarah's father, Raguel. The plan is to travel to Rages (in Media, modern-day Iran) to collect a debt owed to Tobit, and then return to marry Sarah.
"...for I know that Raguel may in no way marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he would be liable to death, because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other.” This is the crucial part and explains Raphael's confidence.
"According to the law of Moses": This implies the angel is referring to specific inheritance laws found within the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses). While the Book of Tobit is not canonical in Protestant versions of the Bible, it would have been written within a Jewish cultural context where the Law of Moses was considered paramount.
"Raguel may in no way marry her to another...or else he would be liable to death": The claim is that there's a Mosaic law that requires Sarah to marry her closest male relative if other circumstances (like a previous marriage) have broken the line of inheritance. Otherwise, Raguel would be in violation of the law, and potentially face a severe penalty.
"because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other": This is the most important piece. Tobias is related to Sarah, making him the closest living relative and therefore the person with the right to marry her to keep the inheritance within her family line.
In Summary:
Raphael is explaining to Tobias that he has a legal claim to marry Sarah based on Mosaic law. This law, which isn't explicitly stated in the Bible, is understood to mean that when a woman's previous husbands die, leaving her childless, her closest male relative has the obligation (and right) to marry her to continue the family line and maintain the inheritance within the family. If Raguel marries Sarah to someone else, he would be violating this law, with serious consequences.
This passage is crucial to the story of Tobit, as it explains the angel's insistence on Tobias marrying Sarah, despite the danger posed by the demon Asmodeus, who had killed her previous seven husbands. Raphael believes the law is on Tobias's side and that their marriage will be protected by God.