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1 Chronicles 4:10

in 1 Chronicles 4

And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow! And God granted him that which he requested.

KJV

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

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This verse in 1 Chronicles 4

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
WE know very little about Jabez, except that he was more honorable than his brethren, and that he was called Jabez because his mother bare him with sorrow. It will sometimes happen that where there is the most sorrow in the antecedents, there will be the most pleasure in the sequel. As the furious storm gives place to the clear sunshine, so the night of weeping precedes the morning of joy. Sorrow the harbinger; gladness the prince it ushers in. Cowper says:— “The path of sorrow, and that path alone, Leads to the place where sorrow is unknown.”

This site's exposition

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers

on 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

The list stops for two verses: Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him for the pain. His prayer asks four things: blessing, enlarged territory, God's hand with him, and protection from harm. Spurgeon preached this text under the title The Prayer of Jabez.

This site's exposition

Jabez called out to the God

Jabez asks for four things. His last words, free from pain, echo his name, which sounds like the Hebrew word for pain in verse 9. Wesley reads the enlarged territory as land still held by the Canaanites, and the text records that God granted the request.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Called - When he was undertaking some great and dangerous service. Enlarge - Drive out these Canaanites, whom thou hast commanded us to root out. Grieve - That it may not oppress and overcome me: more is understood than is expressed.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

God granted him that which he requested--Whatever was the kind of undertaking which roused his anxieties, Jabez enjoyed a remarkable degree of prosperity, and God, in this instance, proved that He was not only the hearer, but the answerer of prayer.
WE know very little about Jabez, except that he was more honorable than his brethren, and that he was called Jabez because his mother bare him with sorrow. It will sometimes happen that where there is the most sorrow in the antecedents, there will be the most pleasure in the sequel. As the furious storm gives place to the clear sunshine, so the night of weeping precedes the morning of joy. Sorrow the harbinger; gladness the prince it ushers in. Cowper says:— “The path of sorrow, and that path alone, Leads to the place where sorrow is unknown.” To a great extent we find that we must sow in tears before we can reap in joy. Many of our works for Christ have cost us tears. Difficulties and disappointments have wrung our soul with anguish. Yet those projects that have cost us more than ordinary sorrow, have often turned out to be the most honorable of our undertakings. While our grief called the offspring of desire “Benoni,” the son of my sorrow, our faith has been afterwards able to give it a name of delight, “Benjamin,” the son of my right hand. You may expect a blessing in serving God if you are enabled to persevere under many discouragements. The ship is often long coming home, because detained on the road by excess of cargo. Expect her freight to be the better when she reaches the port. More honorable than his brethren was the child whom his mother bore with sorrow. As for this Jabez, whose aim was so well pointed, his fame so far sounded, his name so lastingly embalmed—he was a man of prayer. The honor he enjoyed would not have been worth having if it had not been vigorously contested and equitably won. His devotion was the key to his promotion. Those are the best honors that come from God, the award of grace with the acknowledgment of service. When Jacob was surnamed Israel, he received his princedom after a memorable night of prayer.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

And Celub, the brother of Shuhah He briefly enumerates families, although he did not mention him above; similarly (v. 13): “and the sons of Kenaz,” although he did not mention him above; and similarly (verse 14): “And Meonothai,” was not mentioned, for so is the manner of this Book.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Chronicles 4:11:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

23 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּקְרָ֣אand he called

    vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times

  • יַ֠עְבֵּץJabez

    ya'betzH3258 →4 times

  • לֵאלֹהֵ֨יto [the] God of

    leloheiH430 →2601 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֜לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • לֵאמֹ֗ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • בָּרֵ֨ךְreally <bless>

    barekhH1288 →330 times

  • תְּבָרֲכֵ֜נִיyou will bless me

    tevarakheniH1288 →330 times

  • וְהִרְבִּ֤יתָand you will increase

    vehirbitaH7235 →227 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • גְּבוּלִי֙territory my

    gevuliH1366 →240 times

  • וְהָיְתָ֤הand it will be

    vehayetahH1961 →3559 times

  • יָדְךָ֙hand your

    yadekhaH3027 →1618 times

  • עִמִּ֔יwith me

    ʾimiH5973 →1050 times

  • וְעָשִׂ֥יתָand you will act

    veasitaH6213 →2628 times

  • מֵּרָעָ֖הfrom harm

    meraahH7451 →662 times

  • לְבִלְתִּ֣יto not

    leviltiH1115 →

  • עָצְבִּ֑יto hurt me

    ʾatzebiH6087 →

  • וַיָּבֵ֥אand he brought

    vaiyave'H935 →2568 times

  • אֱלֹהִ֖יםGod

    ʾelohimH430 →2601 times

  • אֵ֥ת<obj.>

    ʾetH853 →10935 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־[that] which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • שָׁאָֽל׃he had asked for

    shaalH7592 →171 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 7:7–11Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.74 worksPsalms 116:1–4I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice— my appeal for mercy.68 worksProverbs 10:22The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.63 worksJeremiah 33:3Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.56 worksIsaiah 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.53 worksEphesians 3:20Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,46 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Timothy 4:18And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.42 worksPsalms 119:173May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.41 worksPsalms 66:19–20But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.40 worksJohn 10:28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.37 worksEphesians 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.31 worksPsalms 21:4He asked You for life, and You granted it— length of days, forever and ever.30 worksIsaiah 41:17The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.25 worksPsalms 55:16But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.25 worksRomans 10:12–14For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,21 works1 Corinthians 1:2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:19 worksGenesis 33:20There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.17 worksGenesis 12:2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.15 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Isaiah 41:10

    Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…

    it leads to

    • Joshua 1:9

      Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

    • Isaiah 43:1–2

      Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your…

    • Romans 8:31

      What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

    • Deuteronomy 31:6–8

      Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    • Philippians 4:13

      I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 33:3

    Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 29:12

      Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

    • Isaiah 65:24

      Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

    • Ephesians 3:20

      Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 1 Chronicles

King David Playing the Harp, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622. Public domain.
King David Playing the Harp, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 4 →

This page draws on Berean Standard Bible, 1 Chronicles 4:9; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 994: “The Prayer of Jabez” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 994, The Prayer of Jabez; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Chronicles 4 →