7:1 And when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel, and Sara met them: and after they had saluted one another, she brought them into the house. 2 Then said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobit my cousin! 3 And Raguel asked them, From where are you, brethren To whom they said, We are of the sons of Nephthalim, which are captives in Nineveh. 4 Then he said to them, Do you know Tobit our kinsman And they said, We know him. Then said he, Is he in good health 5 And they said, He is both alive, and in good health: and Tobias said, He is my father. 6 Then Raguel leaped up, and kissed him, and wept, 7 And blessed him, and said unto him, You are the son of an honest and good man. But when he had heard that Tobit was blind, he was sorrowful, and wept. 8 And likewise Edna his wife and Sara his daughter wept. Moreover they entertained them cheerfully; and after that they had killed a ram of the flock, they set store of meat on the table. Then said Tobias to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of those things of which you did talk in the way, and let this business be dispatched.

7:9 So he communicated the matter with Raguel: and Raguel said to Tobias, Eat and drink, and make merry: 10 For it is meet that you should marry my daughter: nevertheless I will declare unto you the truth. 11 I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who died that night they came in unto her: nevertheless for the present be merry. But Tobias said, I will eat nothing here, till we agree and swear one to another.

BEDE. When asked for his daughter, Raguel was at first terrified, knowing what had happened to those seven men. But when the angel taught that while impure men could not have her, the Godfearing Tobias could, Raguel consented to give her to him. (Tob. 7:10-16) The Gentiles, hearing the word of faith and having been admonished by the apostles so that they might fill Christ’s Church throughout the world with their offspring, could not accept the ways and the law of the new faith without secure explanation, knowing that in olden days they had many teachers-being understood here, as it were, by the number seven-who all had known the joys of this life only, but would say nothing certain about eternal things. And because of this, the ruin of eternal death seized those who were without hope of immortal life. But when that Truth which was sounding abroad through the mouths of its teachers taught inwardly, the Gentiles finally understood that fools must say foolish things and that those who had not known the true God must perish. [Bede the Venerable, Allegorica interpretatio in Tobiam PL 91.930B]*

AMBROSE. Tobit also clearly portrayed in his life true virtue, when he left the feast and buried the dead, (Tob. 2:4) and invited the needy to the meals at his own poor table. And Raguel is a still brighter example. For he, in his regard for virtue, when asked to give his daughter in marriage, was not silent regarding his daughter’s faults, for fear of seeming to get the better of the suitor by silence. So when Tobit the son of Tobias asked that his daughter might be given him, he answered that, according to the law, she ought to be given him as near of kin, but that he had already given her to six men, and all of them were dead. (Tob. 7:11) This just man, then, feared more for others than for himself, and wished rather that his daughter should remain unmarried than that others should run risks in consequence of their union with her. [Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.16 NPNF s.2 v.10] 12 Raguel said, Then take her from henceforth according to the manner, for you are her cousin, and she is yours, and the merciful God give you good success in all things. 13 Then he called his daughter Sara, and she came to her father, and he took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobias, saying, Behold, take her after the law of Moses, and lead her away to your father. And he blessed them; 14 And called Edna his wife, and took paper, and did write an instrument of covenants, and sealed it. 15 Then they began to eat. 16 After Raguel called his wife Edna, and said unto her, Sister, prepare another chamber, and bring her in here. 17 Which when she had done as he had bidden her, she brought her there: and she wept, and she received the tears of her daughter, and said unto her, 18 Be of good comfort, my daughter; the Lord of heaven and earth give you joy for this your sorrow: be of good comfort, my daughter.