Raphael makes the trip to Media with Tobiah. God hears the prayers of Tobit and Sarah and sends the angel Raphael in human form to aid them both. In Media, at this same time, a young woman, Sarah, also prays for death, because she has lost seven husbands, each killed in turn on his wedding night by the demon Asmodeus. But recalling the large sum he had formerly deposited in far-off Media, he sends his son Tobiah there to bring back the money. Because of his misfortunes he begs the Lord to let him die. Tobit, a devout and wealthy Israelite living among the captives deported to Nineveh from the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722/721 B.C., suffers severe reverses and is finally blinded.
The book was probably written early in the second century B.C. Prayers, psalms, and words of wisdom, as well as the skillfully constructed story itself, provide valuable insights into the faith and the religious milieu of its unknown author. The Book of Tobit, named after its principal character, combines Jewish piety and morality with folklore in a fascinating story that has enjoyed wide popularity in both Jewish and Christian circles.
