Here I am: Tobias’s reply is literally “Behold, I,” an idiomatic response in Hebrew (see 2.3). “Yes, what is it?” (Good News Translation) is acceptable if it does not sound impatient. New Revised Standard Version Here I am sounds as if Raphael were looking for Tobias and could not find him. What Tobias does in this brief reply is simply to acknowledge that he has heard and is listening, and that is what Contemporary English Version shows with “I’m listening.”

We must stay this night is closer to the meaning than “Tonight we will stay” (Good News Translation). Raphael knows things that Tobias does not know, such as that it is God’s plan for Tobias to meet Sarah. The Greek is clear that they must stay for the entire night.

The name Raguel is new information at this point; Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version make this clear with “your relative Raguel.” “A relative of yours named Raguel” is another possible rendering.

He has a daughter named Sarah: Translators may incorporate the idea of “only one child” here from the following verse: “He has only one child, a daughter named Sarah” (Good News Translation). See the comment on 6.12.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.