Tobit – Chapter 6

Old Testament22 Verses

Chapter Summary

Tobit 6 opens with the words: "And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris." The chapter centers on Tobias, Abraham and Raphael. Across its 22 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and prayer. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris.

2And he went out to wash his feet, and behold a monstrous fish came up to devour him.

3And Tobias being afraid of him, cried out with a loud voice, saying: Sir, he cometh upon me.

4And the angel said to him: Take him by the gill, and draw him to thee. And when he had done so, he drew him out upon the land, and he began to pant before his feet.

5Then the angel said to him: Take out the entrails of this fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee: for these are necessary for useful medicines.

6And when he had done so, he roasted the flesh thereof, and they took it with them in the way: the rest they salted as much as might serve them, till they came to Rages the city of the Medes.

7Then Tobias asked the angel, and said to him: I beseech thee, brother Azarias, tell me what remedies are these things good for, which thou hast bid me keep of the fish?

8And the angel, answering, said to him: If thou put a little piece of its heart upon coals, the smoke thereof driveth away all kind of devils, either from man or from woman, so that they come no more to them.

9And the gall is good for anointing the eyes, in which there is a white speck, and they shall be cured.

10And Tobias said to him: Where wilt thou that we lodge?

11And the angel answering, said: Here is one whose name is Raguel, a near kinsman of thy tribe, and he hath a daughter named Sara, but he hath no son nor any other daughter beside her.

12All his substance is due to thee, and thou must take her to wife.

13Ask her therefore of her father, and he will give her thee to wife.

14Then Tobias answered, and said: I hear that she hath been given to seven husbands, and they all died: moreover I have heard, that a devil killed them.

15Now I am afraid, lest the same thing should happen to me also: and whereas I am the only child of my parents, I should bring down their old age with sorrow to hell.

16Then the angel Raphael said to him: Hear me, and I will shew thee who they are, over whom the devil can prevail.

17For they who in such manner receive matrimony, as to shut out God from themselves, and from their mind, and to give themselves to their lust, as the horse and mule, which have not understanding, over them the devil hath power.

18But thou when thou shalt take her, go into the chamber, and for three days keep thyself continent from her, and give thyself to nothing else but to prayers with her.

19And on that night lay the liver of the fish on the fire, and the devil shall be driven away.

20But the second night thou shalt be admitted into the society of the holy Patriarchs.

21And the third night thou shalt obtain a blessing that sound children may be born of you.

22And when the third night is past, thou shalt take the virgin with the fear of the Lord, moved rather for love of children than for lust, that in the seed of Abraham thou mayst obtain a blessing in children.

Important Verses in Tobit 6

And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris.

Tobit 6:1

Then the angel said to him: Take out the entrails of this fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee: for these are necessary for useful medicines.

Tobit 6:5

Now I am afraid, lest the same thing should happen to me also: and whereas I am the only child of my parents, I should bring down their old age with sorrow to hell.

Tobit 6:15

And when the third night is past, thou shalt take the virgin with the fear of the Lord, moved rather for love of children than for lust, that in the seed of Abraham thou mayst obtain a blessing in children.

Tobit 6:22

Historical Context

Tobit addresses jews of the Diaspora, encouraged to remain faithful far from the Temple within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 6 of 14 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a legal and cultic instruction given to Israel regarding worship, holiness, and daily life with 22 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Tobias, Abraham, Raphael and Sarah, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. It opens with the line: "And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris." It concludes: "And when the third night is past, thou shalt take the virgin with the fear of the Lord, moved rather for love of…" The wider setting of Tobit is this: Tobit is a deuterocanonical book telling of a devout Israelite exile in Nineveh who suffers blindness, and of his son Tobias, guided on a journey by the archangel Raphael in disguise. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Probably 3rd-2nd century BC.

Who Wrote It

Unknown Jewish author of the Diaspora

When It Was Written

Probably 3rd-2nd century BC

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, Tobit 6 delivers commandments and ritual instructions given under the old covenant. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 355). Here, this deuterocanonical book teaches about guardian angels and prayer (CIC 336). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize family and covenant relationships as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that Prayer and almsgiving rise before God. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Tobit 6 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • God invites His people to approach Him confidently in prayer, trusting that He hears and answers.
  • Suffering, united to Christ, becomes a path of purification and deeper trust in God.

People in This Chapter

Tobias5 mentionsAbraham1 mentionRaphael1 mentionSarah1 mention

Reflection for Today

The central section of Tobit—Chapter 6 of 14—opens a particular moment in the story of family piety, almsgiving, and angelic help.

According to Catholic teaching, this deuterocanonical book teaches about guardian angels and prayer (CIC 336). This chapter especially highlights Mary and the communion of saints, a theme the Catechism develops in relation to the whole of revelation (CIC 2466).

Let Tobit Chapter 6 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tobit Chapter 6 about?

Tobit 6 contains 22 verses. It opens with "And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris." and closes with "And when the third night is past, thou shalt take the virgin with the fear of the Lord, moved rather for love of…". The book as a whole is edifying narrative (deuterocanonical).

What is a key verse in Tobit 6?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Tobit Chapter 6?

This chapter mentions Tobias, Abraham, Raphael, Sarah.

Who wrote Tobit and when?

Unknown Jewish author of the Diaspora. Probably 3rd-2nd century BC.

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