Raguel (1)
Raguel in the Book of Tobit
Raguel is a prominent character in the deuterocanonical book of Tobit, where he appears as a pious Jewish man living in Ecbatana, a major city of the Median Empire (present-day Hamadan, Iran). He is identified as the husband of Edna and the father of Sarah, making him a member of the Jewish diaspora community that maintained its faith and identity far from the Promised Land (Tobit 3:7, 17; 7:2).
Sarah's Affliction
Raguel's daughter Sarah was afflicted by a terrible curse: the demon Asmodeus had killed seven of her successive husbands on their wedding nights before any marriage could be consummated (Tobit 3:8). This caused Sarah unbearable shame and grief, and she prayed earnestly for death or deliverance. Raguel shared in his daughter's suffering, unable to help her and aware that potential suitors would fear the same fate. The family's situation represented the kind of suffering that seemed beyond human remedy.
The Arrival of Tobias
The turning point came when Tobias, the son of Tobit, arrived in Ecbatana guided by the angel Raphael (disguised as a fellow traveler named Azariah). Raphael had instructed Tobias in how to defeat the demon, and Tobias asked Raguel for Sarah's hand in marriage (Tobit 7:9-10). Raguel, knowing the fate of the previous husbands, wept with concern but ultimately consented, trusting in God's mercy. He even secretly dug a grave for Tobias during the wedding night, fearing the worst (Tobit 8:9-10).
Joy After Sorrow
When Raguel learned that Tobias had survived the night — the demon having been driven away by the smoke of a fish's liver and heart as Raphael had instructed — his reaction was one of overwhelming gratitude. He praised God, saying, "Blessed are you, O God, with every pure blessing; let all your chosen ones bless you forever" (Tobit 8:15-17). He immediately had the grave filled in and hosted a fourteen-day wedding celebration. The transformation from terror to celebration captures the book's central message: God hears the prayers of the righteous and delivers them from affliction.
The Name and Its Significance
The name Raguel means "friend of God," a fitting designation for a man characterized by piety and trust in divine providence. The name is a variant of Reuel, which appears in the canonical Old Testament as one of the names of Moses's father-in-law (Exodus 2:18; Numbers 10:29). The connection between these names suggests a tradition of faithful men who lived outside the land of Israel yet maintained their devotion to the God of their ancestors.
Raguel's Legacy
At the close of Tobit's story, Tobias and Sarah returned to Raguel after the death of Tobit and Anna, and Tobias cared for his father-in-law in his old age. Raguel died honorably in Ecbatana (Tobit 14:12-13). His life embodies the book of Tobit's conviction that faithfulness, even in exile and amid seemingly hopeless circumstances, is rewarded by a God who sees, hears, and acts.
Biblical Context
Raguel appears throughout the book of Tobit, primarily in chapters 3, 6-8, and 14. The book of Tobit is part of the deuterocanonical/apocryphal writings, accepted as canonical by Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions but not by Protestant churches. The name Raguel (Reuel) also appears in Exodus 2:18 and Numbers 10:29 as a name for Moses's father-in-law, and in 1 Enoch 20:4 as the name of an archangel.
Theological Significance
Raguel's story demonstrates that faithful prayer and trust in God's providence are vindicated even in the darkest circumstances. His willingness to give Sarah in marriage despite the danger, his honest fear, and his exuberant praise when deliverance came all model authentic faith that does not pretend away suffering but trusts God through it. The narrative affirms that God works through both human agency and angelic intervention to bring about his purposes.
Historical Background
Ecbatana (modern Hamadan) was the capital of the Median Empire and later a summer residence of the Persian kings. The Jewish community there was part of the broader diaspora resulting from the Assyrian and Babylonian conquests. The book of Tobit, likely composed in the third or second century BC, reflects the social and religious conditions of diaspora Jewish life, including marriage within the extended family, the practice of tithing, burial customs, and the maintenance of dietary laws far from the Jerusalem temple.