Jabez

March 16th, 2010


I find it interesting how the first four chapters of I Chronicles is a continuous genealogy until verse nine, where the author seems to suddenly pause to tell of a man who is never mentioned again in any other place in the Bible: Jabez. Verses nine and ten of chapter four are set aside for telling us that Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, why his mother named him Jabez ("one who causes pain"), what his prayer was, and that God answered him. Then in the verses that follow, the author immediately continues with the genealogy as if he'd never stopped! It's almost like he was droning on and on through the generations, then came to Jabez and said, "Oh, wait! You've gotta hear about this guy!" and proceeded to fill us in, compacting everything into only those two verses. Then, as soon as he was finished, he went back to reciting the following generations as before.

I wonder, why did the author -- in the middle of recording the genealogy -- suddenly pause and take time to tell us about Jabez, a man who is never again mentioned in the Bible? Maybe it was because of his prayer, which is as follows:

'Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!'

A pretty powerful prayer if you ask me, and also one we can learn a lot from!

Some people think that, yeah, it's okay and great to ask God to bless others, but asking Him to bless them is being selfish. And, yes, I'll admit that I was one of those just a few years ago before I started studying Jabez's prayer. That concept of thinking is not true. I mean, look at Jabez. The Bible says that "Jabez was more honorable than his brethren" and he asked God to bless him personally! Not his neighbor, not his family, but himself! His exact words were, "Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed" (emphasis mine). If asking God to bless you were a selfish act, I don't think the author would've said, "Jabez was more honorable than his brethren"!

Right after we are informed of Jabez's prayer, we're told, "And God granted him that which he requested." God answered Jabez's prayer, so apparently it isn't so selfish to ask that you be blessed. God wants you to ask! Jesus says in Luke 11:9-10, "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Then, in James chapter four, the last part of verse two, we're told, "ye have not, because ye ask not."

So, go ahead! Follow Jabez's example and ask! Remember, God will hear your prayer!