This passage from Tobit 6:14 is part of a conversation between Tobias and the angel Raphael (disguised as a man named Azariah). Tobias is about to marry Sarah, but he is very afraid. Here's a breakdown of what the verse means:
"Now I am the only son of my father...": Tobias emphasizes that he is his father's sole heir. If he dies, the family line ends, and his parents will be left without anyone to care for them in their old age.
"...and I am afraid, lest I go in and die, even as those before me.": Tobias knows that Sarah has been married seven times before, and each of her previous husbands died on their wedding night before the marriage could be consummated. He fears the same fate awaits him.
"For a demon loves her, which harms no man, but those which come to her.": This explains the cause of the previous husbands' deaths. A demon named Asmodeus is in love with Sarah and kills any man who attempts to have relations with her. The demon only seems to harm the men who approach her for marriage.
"Now I fear lest I die, and bring my father’s and my mother’s life to the grave with sorrow because of me.": This is the emotional heart of the verse. Tobias isn't just afraid for his own life; he's worried about the devastating impact his death would have on his parents, Tobit and Anna.
"They have no other son to bury them.”: This reinforces the previous point. In ancient Jewish culture, it was a son's duty to care for his parents in their old age and to ensure they had a proper burial. Since Tobias is an only son, his death would leave his parents destitute and without anyone to fulfill these essential obligations.
In essence, the verse highlights Tobias's fear and his sense of responsibility to his family. He is caught in a difficult situation: He wants to marry Sarah, but he knows about the deadly demon and is terrified of dying and leaving his parents alone and without support.
This passage from Tobit 6:14 is part of a conversation between Tobias and the angel Raphael (disguised as a man named Azariah). Tobias is about to marry Sarah, but he is very afraid. Here's a breakdown of what the verse means:
"Now I am the only son of my father...": Tobias emphasizes that he is his father's sole heir. If he dies, the family line ends, and his parents will be left without anyone to care for them in their old age.
"...and I am afraid, lest I go in and die, even as those before me.": Tobias knows that Sarah has been married seven times before, and each of her previous husbands died on their wedding night before the marriage could be consummated. He fears the same fate awaits him.
"For a demon loves her, which harms no man, but those which come to her.": This explains the cause of the previous husbands' deaths. A demon named Asmodeus is in love with Sarah and kills any man who attempts to have relations with her. The demon only seems to harm the men who approach her for marriage.
"Now I fear lest I die, and bring my father’s and my mother’s life to the grave with sorrow because of me.": This is the emotional heart of the verse. Tobias isn't just afraid for his own life; he's worried about the devastating impact his death would have on his parents, Tobit and Anna.
"They have no other son to bury them.”: This reinforces the previous point. In ancient Jewish culture, it was a son's duty to care for his parents in their old age and to ensure they had a proper burial. Since Tobias is an only son, his death would leave his parents destitute and without anyone to fulfill these essential obligations.
In essence, the verse highlights Tobias's fear and his sense of responsibility to his family. He is caught in a difficult situation: He wants to marry Sarah, but he knows about the deadly demon and is terrified of dying and leaving his parents alone and without support.
