JABEZ

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was an ordinary man who believed in God and is distinguished by the description “more honourable than his brethren" - it is not said why the Bible describes him thus, but he might have been a man of great wealth, or a praying man, a man of God. The first man to be described like this is Shechem, Gen 34:19. He was guilty of defiling Dinah the daughter of Jacob. His honour is compared to a most ungodly company, but here the description of Jabez is in contrast to other members belonging to the kingly tribe of Judah.

Of this honourable person we know nothing but what is mentioned here, nor does the name occur in any other part of Scripture except in 1Ch 2:55, where it appears to be the name of a place, in all probability called after him.

He appears to have been a child brought into the world with great difficulty, at the risk of his own life and that of his mother. So much seemed to be implied in his mother’s statement, "I bare him with sorrow", that she gave him a name that must have recalled to her, and later to his remembrance, the danger to which both their lives were exposed. She called his name Jabez.  Sorrow at childbirth is a reminder of the fall, Gen 3:16. After her experience of a hard child birth, Rachel named her son (Gen 35:18) "Ben-oni", meaning the "son of my sorrow". But unlike Benjamin, Jabez was to carry his name unchanged throughout life.

There are several things in the account of Jabez for our learning:

He must have been brought up in the fear of God, worshipping the God of Israel, for he calls upon Him.  "O that Thou would bless me indeed”. He prayed for three things particularly:

1. The things necessary for the body as well as for the soul. “Enlarge my coasts" - grant me as much territory as may support my family; let me have the necessities, conveniences, and, as far as they may be safely entrusted to me, the comforts of life! His desire was to enjoy more of the divine provision of the land which God had given. He wanted also to be spiritually prosperous, to experience enrichment from His God. We too must widen our vision, and enjoy our inheritance of holy fellowship with God, and also bring others into its enjoyment.

2. "That thy hand might be with me!" May I ever walk with thee, and feel the hand of Thy power to support me in all the trials, dangers, and difficulties of life; and Thy hand to supply all my wants in reference to both worlds! He wanted to have the spiritual presence of God. Man’s true place is always one of dependence upon His Maker. A Believer’s place is that like the dependence of sheep upon the Shepherd, a child upon its Father, or a servant upon his Master.

3. He dreads both sin and suffering, and therefore prays against both: "keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me"!  These words, "that it may not grieve me," might be more literally rendered, "that I may have no more sorrow." He knew that evil would cause him grief. Let me not experience the grief which my name implies, and which my sins may well produce. Sin and grief go hand in hand throughout our lives. Jabez in effect prays, keep me from sin, that I grieve thee not; and keep me from sin, that I render not myself miserable! We can never offend God without injuring ourselves; he that sins will suffer. "Keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me". This is a humble recognition of our need. Our Lord testified of the world that its works were evil, and He died to deliver us from it, John 7:7, Gal 1:4. We live in a fallen world filled with sin and it is important to ask God to keep us safe from the unavoidable evil that comes our way. But we must also avoid evil motives, desires, and actions that begin within us. Therefore we must seek God’s protection from evil, but we must also ask God to guard our thoughts and actions. We can begin to utilize His protection by filling our minds with positive thoughts and attitudes.

Jabez did not pray in vain, for God granted him what he requested. He is a picture of us all in his birth, and is an example to us in his life. Like every man he was born in “sorrow”. His name meaning “sorrowful” would suit any of us, for the affect of Adam’s sin is still with us. May we indeed pray his prayer.