Who was Jabez?

Despite the popularity of his prayer, commonly known as The Prayer of Jabez, Jabez is only mentioned in the Bible three times, with the first being named as a town or location.

. . . 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 (NIV)

The author of the Biblical book of 1 Chronicles interrupts his record of lineage for the Israelite Tribe of Judah, in chapter 4, to discuss Jabez and the prayer that he prayed.

 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”

I Chronicles 4:9 (NIV)

From this account, we can deduce that Jabez was likely to have been an honest and Godly man who was given to prayer and conversing with God.

It also seems that the birth of Jabez was more painful to his mother than that of his siblings - maybe she had complications during his delivery, but we don't know, as the Bible doesn't tell us anything beyond that it was a painful birth.

What was the prayer Jabez prayed?

What does it mean to "enlarge my territory"?

To enlarge something means to "make bigger" - the prayer Jabez prayed could have very easily been about his lands or properties - but given that he was an honorable man, I don't think that was the case. 

I think the enlargement of territory for Jabez meant that he was asking that his life would have a great impact for God. 

And I believe that it did in ways that are not explained in the Bible, which only tells us that God answered his prayer. 

There is speculation that Jabez may have been an ancestor to the Kings of the Tribe of Judah, but the Bible does not specifically state this.

How do I make the Prayer of Jabez my personal prayer?

It is my thought that we should pray the prayer that Jabez spoke before God in the same manner in which he did - coming before the throne of grace with a humble heart, seeking blessing, enlargement of our territory (impact for God), for God's hand to be upon us and to be kept from harm so that we would be free from pain.

A reminder of Jabez's prayer:

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 4:10 (NIV)


Although I have seen people change the words to say that they would not cause pain, a check through numerous versions of the Bible confirm to me that Jabez prayed that he, himself, would be free from pain.

It does make you wonder that the circumstances surrounding his birth were not only painful for his mother but also caused ongoing health issues for Jabez.

Although there may have been other things happening at the time that caused him to pray this too - but again, the Bible doesn't say, so we can only speculate.