Tobit 8:12 - and said to Edna his wife, “Send one of the maidservants, and let them see if he is alive. If not, we will bury him, and no man will know it.”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Tobit 8:12" mean?
This verse from Tobit 8:12 comes after a pivotal moment in the story of Tobit and Sarah. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
Context: Tobit's son, Tobias, has just married Sarah. Sarah has a history of misfortune; her previous seven husbands all died on their wedding night, seemingly due to a demon. Tobit and Edna, Tobias's parents, are back home, anxiously awaiting news of their son. They are deeply worried that Tobias might have suffered the same fate as the previous husbands.
"and said to Edna his wife": Tobit is speaking to his wife, Edna. He's sharing his plan and anxieties with her.
"Send one of the maidservants, and let them see if he is alive": This is the core of the verse. Tobit is suggesting sending a maidservant to discreetly check on Tobias and Sarah. The key word here is "alive." They need to know if Tobias has survived the night.
"If not, we will bury him, and no man will know it": This part reveals their deep fear and their desire to avoid public shame. If Tobias is dead, they plan to bury him secretly, without anyone knowing about it. This would:
Avoid public humiliation: The string of Sarah's deceased husbands created a sense of doom that anyone who married her would die on the wedding night. To have yet another of her husbands die would be seen as a curse or a misfortune for Sarah, and a tragedy for Tobias and his family. They want to spare her from further shame and avoid making their family look cursed.
Protect Sarah: There's an implication that they're trying to protect Sarah from further blame or suspicion. By secretly burying Tobias, they might hope to avoid any accusations against her (even if supernatural in origin).
Maintain the family's reputation: They don't want their son to be seen as another victim of this perceived curse. Secrecy would preserve the family's honor to some extent.
In summary:
The verse reveals the intense anxiety and fear of Tobit and Edna concerning their son's well-being. They are terrified that Tobias has succumbed to the same fate as Sarah's previous husbands. To confirm his safety and to protect Sarah and their family from potential scandal, they decide to send a maidservant to discreetly check on Tobias, and, if he is dead, bury him secretly.
Tobit 8:12 - and said to Edna his wife, “Send one of the maidservants, and let them see if he is alive. If not, we will bury him, and no man will know it.”
What does "Tobit 8:12" mean?
This verse from Tobit 8:12 comes after a pivotal moment in the story of Tobit and Sarah. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
Context: Tobit's son, Tobias, has just married Sarah. Sarah has a history of misfortune; her previous seven husbands all died on their wedding night, seemingly due to a demon. Tobit and Edna, Tobias's parents, are back home, anxiously awaiting news of their son. They are deeply worried that Tobias might have suffered the same fate as the previous husbands.
"and said to Edna his wife": Tobit is speaking to his wife, Edna. He's sharing his plan and anxieties with her.
"Send one of the maidservants, and let them see if he is alive": This is the core of the verse. Tobit is suggesting sending a maidservant to discreetly check on Tobias and Sarah. The key word here is "alive." They need to know if Tobias has survived the night.
"If not, we will bury him, and no man will know it": This part reveals their deep fear and their desire to avoid public shame. If Tobias is dead, they plan to bury him secretly, without anyone knowing about it. This would:
Avoid public humiliation: The string of Sarah's deceased husbands created a sense of doom that anyone who married her would die on the wedding night. To have yet another of her husbands die would be seen as a curse or a misfortune for Sarah, and a tragedy for Tobias and his family. They want to spare her from further shame and avoid making their family look cursed.
Protect Sarah: There's an implication that they're trying to protect Sarah from further blame or suspicion. By secretly burying Tobias, they might hope to avoid any accusations against her (even if supernatural in origin).
Maintain the family's reputation: They don't want their son to be seen as another victim of this perceived curse. Secrecy would preserve the family's honor to some extent.
In summary:
The verse reveals the intense anxiety and fear of Tobit and Edna concerning their son's well-being. They are terrified that Tobias has succumbed to the same fate as Sarah's previous husbands. To confirm his safety and to protect Sarah and their family from potential scandal, they decide to send a maidservant to discreetly check on Tobias, and, if he is dead, bury him secretly.