Chapter X · Location 10 of 14
Chapter 10 · Open to readFrom Tobias · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
Why does Tobias reject Raguel’s proposed messenger?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
Missing the appointed return day causes both parents to weep. Raguel offers a messenger, but Tobias insists on leaving because his parents count the days in grief. Sara’s farewell includes kisses and instructions about her new household.
Chapter breakdown
As the marriage prolonged the son’s stay, the elder Tobias wondered why he was delayed and whether Gabelus had died with no one to pay the money. He and Anna wept because the son had missed the appointed return day. Anna lamented sending him to a strange country, calling him the light of their eyes, the staff of their old age, the comfort of their life and the hope of their posterity. Tobias told her their son was safe and his guide trustworthy. She could not be comforted and went out daily to watch the ways by which he might return.
Raguel offered to send a messenger to tell Tobias’s father that he was well, while asking him to remain. The son replied that his parents were counting the days in grief. Despite Raguel’s further persuasion, he would not stay. Raguel gave him Sara and half his substance in male and female servants, cattle, camels, kine and money, and sent him away safe and joyful.
Raguel prayed that the holy angel of the Lord would accompany them, bring them safely through, and allow them to find all things well concerning the parents. He also wished to see their children before he died. Sara’s parents kissed her and let her go, urging her to honor her parents-in-law, love her husband, care for the family, govern the house and behave irreproachably.
The story inside
Context and action: Missing the appointed return day causes both parents to weep. Response: Raguel offers a messenger, but Tobias insists on leaving because his parents count the days in grief. Recorded boundary: Sara’s farewell includes kisses and instructions about her new household.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1Missing the appointed return day causes both parents to weep.
- 2Raguel offers a messenger, but Tobias insists on leaving because his parents count the days in grief.
- 3Sara’s farewell includes kisses and instructions about her new household.
Test your recall
Why does Tobias refuse to remain even if a messenger is sent?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 51266–51273
10:3. And he began to be exceeding sad, both he and Anna his wife with him: and they began both to weep together, because their son did not return to them on the day appointed. 10:4. But his mother wept and was quite disconsolate, and said: Woe, woe is me, my son; why did we send thee to go to a strange country, the light of our eyes, the staff of our old age, the comfort of our life, the hope of our posterity?
Lines 51281–51284
10:7. But she could by no means be comforted, but daily running out looked round about, and went into all the ways by which there seemed any hope he might return, that she might if possible see him coming afar off.
Lines 51289–51296
10:9. And Tobias said to him: I know that my father and mother now count the days, and their spirit is grievously afflicted within them. 10:10. And when Raguel had pressed Tobias with many words, and he by no means would hearken to him, he delivered Sara unto him, and half of all his substance in menservants, and womenservants, in cattle, in camels, and in kine, and in much money, and sent him away safe and joyful from him,
Lines 51305–51307
10:13. Admonishing her to honour her father and mother in law, to love her husband, to take care of the family, to govern the house, and to behave herself irreprehensibly.