Lexical Summary
Yabets: Jabez
Original Word:יַעְבֵּץ
Part of Speech:proper name; masculine person; location
Transliteration:Ya`bets
Pronunciation:yah-BETS
Phonetic Spelling:(yah-bates')
KJV: Jabez
NASB:Jabez
Word Origin:[from an unused root probably meaning to grieve]
1. sorrowful
2. Jabets, the name of an Israelite
3. also of a place in Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Jabets, an Israelite, and also of a place in Palestine
From an unused root probably meaning to grieve; sorrowful; Jabets, the name of an Israelite, and also of a place in Palestine:
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona desc. of Judah, also a place in Judah
NASB TranslationJabez (4).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
,1 Chronicles 4:9 (twice in verse);1 Chronicles 4:10 (where interpreted as akin to ; on position of this family compare MeyJudenthum 118); A , , GL , , .
1 Chronicles 2:55 (compare1 Chronicles 2:54); AL .
Topical Lexicon
Name and ContextJabez (יַעְבֵּץ, Strong’s Hebrew 3258) appears in two distinct settings within the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles: as a noteworthy individual in the line of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) and as a town associated with families of scribes (1 Chronicles 2:55). Although the occurrences are few, they have generated enduring interest because of the unique notice given to the man’s prayer and the specialized community located at the town that bore the same name.
Biblical Appearances
1 Chronicles 2:55 – The text names “the families of the scribes who lived at Jabez,” listing descendants of Hammath, Rechab, and the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites.
1 Chronicles 4:9 – “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.”
1 Chronicles 4:10 – Jabez’s petition: “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed 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.”
Historical Setting
Genealogies in 1 Chronicles were compiled after the Babylonian exile to affirm tribal identities and covenant continuity. Within Judah’s lineage the Chronicler pauses to highlight Jabez, indicating that his reputation transcended routine record keeping. The designation of a town named Jabez, inhabited by guilds of scribes, further connects the name to a sphere of learning and covenant preservation. These scribes, descended from the Kenites (notably related to Moses’ father-in-law by marriage), perpetuated textual transmission and legal instruction in Judah. Their placement at Jabez suggests that the locale became an educational or copyist center, ensuring accurate custody of the Scriptures for subsequent generations.
Character and Spiritual Significance
The Chronicler singles out Jabez as “more honorable than his brothers,” implying integrity, piety, and covenant faithfulness. His name, sounding like the Hebrew for “pain,” reflects the circumstances of his birth (“because I bore him in pain,”1 Chronicles 4:9). Rather than allowing that stigma to define him, Jabez turns to the God of Israel with a four-fold request:
1. Blessing beyond measure (“bless me indeed”).
2. Expanded influence (“enlarge my territory”).
3. Ongoing divine presence (“may Your hand be with me”).
4. Protection from evil and resulting suffering (“keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain”).
God’s immediate answer underscores covenant grace and invites subsequent generations to approach Him with bold, faith-filled petitions grounded in His promises.
Theological Themes
1. Covenant blessing: Jabez anchors his prayer in God’s favor, echoing Patriarchal promises of land and blessing (Genesis 12:1-3).
2. Dependence on God’s hand: The plea for God’s hand parallels Moses’ cry inExodus 33:15, underlining the necessity of divine presence for success.
3. Victory over inherited limitation: Though named for pain, Jabez experiences reversal through prayer, illustrating how faith transcends circumstance.
4. Divine responsiveness: The Chronicler’s affirmation that “God granted” demonstrates that sincere, God-centered requests are heard and answered, reinforcing scriptural testimony fromPsalm 34:15 andJames 5:16b.
Impact on Ministry and Devotional Life
Jabez’s prayer has long served as a model for personal and corporate supplication. It encourages believers to seek:
• Kingdom expansion—missionary and evangelistic endeavors that “enlarge territory.”
• Spiritual empowerment—dependence on the Spirit’s sustaining hand (Acts 11:21).
• Moral safeguarding—deliverance from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).
• Transformation of personal history—freedom from cycles of pain or limitation through God’s grace.
Scribes at the town of Jabez demonstrate the importance of faithful stewards who preserve and transmit God’s Word. Contemporary ministry applications include theological education, Bible translation, and discipleship training—ventures that safeguard sound doctrine and propagate Scriptural truth across generations.
Legacy
Though embedded in seemingly routine genealogies, Jabez stands as a paradigm of honorable living and audacious prayer, while the city of Jabez highlights the strategic role of dedicated scribes in maintaining the written revelation. Together they call the people of God to honor, preserve, and boldly appropriate the covenant blessings recorded in Scripture.
Forms and Transliterations
יַ֠עְבֵּץ יַעְבֵּ֔ץ יַעְבֵּץ֙ יעבץ ya‘·bêṣ ya‘bêṣ yaBetz
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
