Hello friends! Greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has granted us with yet another blessed week in our lives. God had been good to us in the past week and He is very good to us now (this week) and I am sure that He is going to be super good to us in the weeks ahead. As part of the Scripture for the Week meditation, this week we will be focusing on 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (mentioned above). These verses introduce to us yet another honorable person in the sight of God from the Old Testament whose name is Jabez. Before we go further with the study on Jabez and his relationship with the God of Israel, let us also refer to 1 Chronicles 2:55 where the term Jabez is used as the name of a place in the territory of Judah. This means, based on 1 Chronicles 2:55 and 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we can understand that there is a place called Jabez and a person named Jabez. So, let us try to get as much information as possible about the term Jabez. If I am correct, the term Jabez is mentioned only in three verses in the entire Scripture: 1 Chronicles 2:55 (as a place name); 4:9; and 4:10 (as a person’s name). Since our study is primarily depending on the Scripture, we will examine the term Jabez methodically from the Scriptural perspective.

First of all, let us focus on the place named as Jabez in the territory of Judah. The very first time the term Jabez is used in the Scripture was to denote a place named Jabez in the territory of Judah where the clans of scribes lived: … and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the Rekabites (1 Chronicles 2:55). Many Bible scholars and historians believe that the place called Jabez was situated in the suburb of Bethlehem in Judea. It is possible that the place called Jabez (1 Chronicles 2:55) is named after the person called Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) where the scribes – the descendants of Tira, Shimea, and Suchah lived. Perhaps, the person Jabez was the leader of the place called Jabez and these scribes found shelter under his care. We are not very sure whether these scribes (the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites) belonged to the Israelites’ clans. It is certain that these clans of scribes who lived in Jabez were not the descendants of Salma who was of the Israelites’ clans as per 1 Chronicles 2:51 & 54, but they established themselves among the Israelites’ clans through their profession, friendship, and intermarriage with the Israelites. However, these scribes, like the Israelites, lived in tents and obeyed God’s laws/decrees/commands, and served the God of Israel by teaching others God’s laws and decrees. They were part of the Kenites who lived in the City of Palms and the Desert of Judah in the Negev near Arad with the people of Judah (Judges 1:16). Also, regarding the faithfulness of the Rekabites to the God of Israel is mentioned in Jeremiah 35:1-19. Regardless, the place called Jabez was well known in the Judean territory because many families of scribes who were teachers of the Law lived there. Due to the limitation of time and space for this study, we will not be discussing any further on the place called Jabez but we will be focusing much on the person called Jabez.

Secondly, we are focusing on the person named Jabez. It is very interesting to learn about Jabez and his relationship to his God, the God of Israel. In fact, we do not have much information about the person Jabez because the Scripture does not speak much about him except what is written in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).

In order to understand the major focus in the above-mentioned verses in a better way, the study on Jabez will be divided in to three parts: (i) the person Jabez [v. 9], (ii) Jabez’s prayer to God [v.10a], and (iii) God’s response to his prayer [v.10b]. Each of the above-mentioned parts will be discussed with special attention.

(i) The person Jabez (v.9): According to 1 Chronicles 4:9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” This verse talks about Jabez, his mother, and his brothers but their names are not mentioned anywhere in the Scripture. Also, there is no mentioning about his father or father’s whereabouts. However, since his name is mentioned among the clans of Judah, we can understand that he was a descendant of Judah, son of Jacob/Israel; and, thus, he belongs to the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:1-4:23).

The name Jabez (יַעְבֵּץ yabetz) has its origin in Hebrew tradition. According to the statement His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain” (1 Chronicles 4:9b), we can understand that his name (Jabez) is connected with ‘pain or sorrow.’ From that perspective, the meaning of his name could be ‘sorrowful’ or ‘born in pain’ or ‘he causes pain,’ and so on. 

During the Old Testament times, a person’s name often reflected what kind of person he/she would be. There are so many examples in the Scripture that many named their children based on the life-situations in their lives. For instance, Leah, Jacob’s wife, and Eli’s son Phinehas’ wife named their children based on the life-situations they were in:

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children (Genesis 29:31-35).

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth to a son … she named the boy Ichabod saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel” (1 Samuel 4:19-22)

In the similar way, there was a specific reason for Jabez’s mother to name him Jabez, because, she said, “I gave birth to him in pain” (1 Chronicles 4:9b). Though his name means pain, the Scripture says that he was more honorable than his brothers (1 Chronicles 4:9). Perhaps, Jabez grew up seeing his mother’s tears and sorrows. It could be that his mother’s pain and sorrow helped him to grow up as a man of honor, faith, and grace in the sight of God and in his community. Who knows, he might have been like Abel who brought the right sacrifice before God (Genesis 4:4) or like Job who was blameless and upright; who feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:1) or like prophet Isaiah who cried out “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5). As a person of honor, Jabez might have definitely wished to comfort his mother and others who are connected with him.

(ii) Jabez’s prayer to the God of Israel (v.10a): A prayer is a heartfelt plea for help addressed to God. For instance: if we end up in a situation that no one can help us, we call up on the name of the Lord passionately and say to Him, ‘Oh, Lord, come quickly and help me’ or ‘have mercy on me, etc.’ Jabez’s prayer was for something similar/urgent and very personal: Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain (1 Chronicles 4:10a). Jabez’s prayer was similar to Jacob’s prayer when God appeared to him at Luz/Bethel while he was on his way to Haran from Beersheba: Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God (Genesis 28:20-21 [refer 28:10-22]). God heard Jacob’s prayer and blessed him immensely as he testified about 20 years later: “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups” (Genesis 32:10).

Jabez knew that the God of Israel is the only True God who declared “I am the Lord your God and You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1; Matthew 22:32). When God appeared to Abraham, He said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless (Genesis 17:1). After several generations, when God appeared to Moses, He introduced Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:6). Jabez believed and trusted in the God of Israel, the God of his fathers, and cried out to Him. Jabez cried out to the God of Israel in a way that it is the last chance for him in this life. Perhaps, Jabez prayed like:

• • Moses prayed to God in the wilderness for His special intervention (Exodus 32:11-13: 33:12-17), or
  • Hannah who earnestly prayed for a son (1 Samuel 1:10-11), or
  • Elijah who prayed earnestly before God to reveal Himself before the people of Israel who rejected Him and followed Baal and Asherah (1 Kings 18:36-39), or
  • Hezekiah who prayed earnestly for healing from a deadly illness (2 Kings 20:1-6; Isaiah 38:1-6), or
  • king Jehoshaphat who prayed when a vast army attacked Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1-30), or
  • The early Church prayed for Peter’s release from the prison (Acts 12:5-14), and
  • Many more examples are mentioned in the Scripture who are cried out to God in their desperate situations and God answered them all.

From the study of Jabez’s  life, we understand is that while the world around us tries to put us down (keep us away from Him), the God who is the source of our life and blessings wants us to be a blessing to all those who are around us. Praying to God is the only way out from the troubling situations we are in. Jabez specifically prayed for four matters that are related to his life. He cried out to the God of Israel that:

1. 1. 1. Oh,  Lord, that you would bless me (v.10a): Jabez believed that only God’s blessings will last
      2. Oh Lord, that you Enlarge my territory (v.10b): Jabez prayed for the increase of his influence [also, refer Isaiah 54:2-3]
      3. Oh Lord, let your hand be with me (v.10c): Jabez prayed for God’s presence and guidance in his life
      4. Oh Lord, you would keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain (v.10d): Jabez prayed for divine protection upon his life

King David wrote, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalms 23:4). It is very important to seek God’s guidance in our lives and His presence with us wherever we go. Yahweh promised that His presence will go with you wherever you go (Exodus 33:13-14; Joshua 1:9) and Jesus promised His presence will be with us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

(iii) God’s response to Jabez’s prayer (v.10e): the last phrase of 1 Chronicles 4:10 states that … And God granted his request. What made him so important is that he trusted the God of Israel and he prayed to him; and the God of Israel answered his prayer and granted his request. Jabez honored God, and, in return, God honored Jabez and granted his request. From this we can understand one thing that the blessings Jabez received from the God of Israel outweighed the pain that he went through in his life until the day he prayed to God. And so, we can see that in the end, ‘the prayer of Jabez’ is what stands out from the story of Jabez, rather than just the name ‘Jabez.’

In conclusion, as the believers in the Lord Jesus, let us examine and see what we can learn from the life of Jabez so that we can be blessed and also become a blessing to all those around us:

• • Jabez was a person who started his life in pain and sorrow and had no hope for a better future
  • Jabez was a person who struggled to achieve meaning and significance in life
  • Jabez was a person who was neglected by his family and friends because they thought he will cause pain to them
  • Jabez was a person who desperately awaited to be approved by God and accepted by the community he grew up

In the midst of all such troublesome life situations, Jabez found relief in the presence of the God of Israel. He prayed to God and God answered his prayer and granted his request. Although, Jabez began his life in pain and sorrow and without having a solid hope for a better future, he ended his life in great blessings, as it is stated in the book of Job that Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be (Job 8:7). Jabez was a man of determination and earnest prayer. He prayed earnestly and passionately to the God of Israel, and God heard his prayer and granted his request. Matthew 6:33 says that … seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Like the hymn we sing very often which says I am weak but thou are strong, Jesus keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long, As I walk, let me walk close to Thee…, let us ask God to change our weakness into blessing; our pain and sorrow into joy and peace. As Jabez prayed to God and sought the presence of God, let us seek God’s guidance and direction in all realms of our lives – personal life, family life, community life, and spiritual life. May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!