1 Chronicles 4:10
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your Hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted Jabez what was requested.
A few short years ago, a small book squeezed itself onto bookshelves. As small and insignificant as it seemed, by all accounts it should have disappeared, buried forever behind larger, more audacious tomes. Instead, The Prayer of Jabez, by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, soon found itself in the front of the class–on just about every best-seller list of the year 2000. In fact, the book became the very proof of its own message–that God blesses and favors all who ask.
The short story of Jabez, such as it is, and his prayer, appear quite suddenly in the middle of a list of what the King James Version often lovingly refers to as the “begats,” i.e., Adam begat Seth who begat Enosh who begat Kenan, etc.–in other words, a universal genealogy. The story could easily have been and probably had on numerous occasions been overlooked by glassy-eyed bible students struggling their way through the seemingly never-ending lists of the descendants of the various tribes of Israel.
Indeed, its very presence in Chronicles gives evidence that it previously had been overlooked. The name Chronicles in the Septuagint (the original Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), comes from the word Paralipomena, meaning “the things left out,” giving evidence that the books tell of events previously left out of the historical record of Israel. The author(s) remain(s) unknown.
Jabez’ story actually begins with verse 9, which tells us, “Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’” In the original language, Jabez is translated: to grieve, sorrowful.
After three and a half chapters of names of descendants of descendants of descendants, we find this one soul singled out in a rather peculiar manner. “Jabez was honored more than his brothers…,” reads the New Revised Standard Translation. Scripture doesn’t tell us why or how he was honored, only that he was. It is interesting to note that the King James Version translates the verse to read: “Jabez was more honorable than his brotheren…,” the New American Bible, at the same time tells us: “Jabez was the most distinguished of the brothers…,” while the NIV reads: “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers…,” Notice the subtle shift of that one concept between the translations: between being honored and being honorable. Of course, one can presume that one is honored for being honorable, but the point to be made is that we must always be aware that what reads one way in one translation can present an entirely different picture in another.
In fact, when one examines the word translated honorable in the original language, kabed, we discover that the word has several meanings, from to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable), etc. This is just a small example of the kinds of problems scholars face when trying to present translations as accurate as they can make them.
Truly, one could make an argument that the author really meant to say that Jabez was a burden to his family. Note the word and in verse 9 above. The verse could have read, “Jabez was burdensome more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain…’” In other words, using this reading we would see that Jabez really was a problem to his family. He’d caused them grief. Note that his mother named him Jabez, which meant to grieve, as his mother said she “bore him in pain.”
One might wonder what kind of pain his mother was referring to. Pain in childbirth was a normal part of bearing children, and she would have known that. Jabez could have been the first-born and the pain such a shock to his mother that she so named him, or perhaps she was referring to another kind of pain–perhaps an emotional pain. What could that be? Could it be that right away she knew that Jabez was different somehow? Different from the other babies? As she held him in her arms, did she realize that his life would be lived differently than his brothers? We’ll never know, but that really isn’t the important part. Whether Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, whether he was more honored than his brothers, or whether he was more burdensome than his brothers, none of that really matters. What matters is that he prayed to God for blessings, and God granted his requests.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your Hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted Jabez his request. (vs. 10)
Note the things Jabez requested:
That God would bless him. The word in the original language, barak, indicates to bestow an abundance, that God would make Jabez rich;
That God would enlarge his territory. 1 Chronicles 2:55 indicates that there was a city or town named Jabez. Could it be possible that this territory was named for Jabez, and part of the blessings accorded Jabez by God? The chapters here in 1 Chronicles are divided by different families, and not as chronology, so that those who lived at Jabez could have lived after he did.
That God’s Hand would be with him. One can safely assume that what Jabez is asking for here is God’s protection.
That God would keep him from evil, so that he might not cause pain to anyone. If Jabez was indeed honorable and honored, Jabez’ prayer for God’s help in the matter could have been the reason that led to his honor.
Does the prayer of Jabez hold any significance to you and me today? Is there a special lesson for the GLBT community in what happened to Jabez, and how God affected his life? I believe there is. From the beginning we note that there had to have been a certain amount of alienation from Jabez’ family. His mother gave him a name that perpetually reminded her of her grief–her pain. Each time she called him in from play, each time she called him in to supper, each time she said his name, she was reminded of her grief, her pain. It was ever before her. How do you suppose Jabez felt about that? How wounded must he have felt that he had to live with the shame of that name?
Whether Jabez was a burden to his family, or whether he was honored over his brothers, that there was sibling jealousy or distain was a distinct possibility, not to mention the name-calling he most likely had to endure from them. It is entirely possible Jabez grew up in shame for being what he was. Remember, in that ancient Hebrew culture, a name wasn’t just something you were called–it described who you were. Jabez’ name said he was a pain–he brought grief. Now, perhaps Jabez tried to hide it…perhaps he had a nickname–maybe he went by Ja or Bez, but you just know that sooner or later someone would show up and yank him out of the closet, using his full name–revealing his true “nature” (pain) for all the world to see–and perhaps shun.
Maybe he was indeed honored for things he did, yet he still had to live with the shame of his name. His name said nothing more about him than the words homosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered says about those who carry the label, despite the penchant for homophobes to assign specific qualities to GLBT individuals. So we can all certainly relate to the pain of Jabez–to feelings of isolation his name, and yes, perhaps even his fame brought him.
But all of that really isn’t the important part. What is important is what God did for Jabez. In spite of what everyone might have said about Jabez, in spite of the shameful name his mother gave to him, God looked into Jabez’ heart. God heard Jabez’ prayer. And God answered. And God blessed Jabez. So God granted Jabez his request, the Scripture tells us.
What does the prayer of Jabez mean to you and me? Those two little verses laid it all out for us. Jabez requested blessings of God, and God granted his request. What would you request of God? What would you like? What do you need? What can you offer to God? Jabez’ request that God help him refrain from doing anyone any harm, was really Jabez’ offer to God to be honorable, with God’s help: Here I am, God. I’m opening myself up to your intervention, so that I may be good to others. I give You permission, God, to make me a good person. That was Jabez’ offer. The blessings and the enlarged territory were his requests. And God granted them.
What prevents you today from asking for God’s blessings? Don’t buy into the shame that those who call you names would force on you. God’s ways are not the ways of human beings. God knows your heart, and God waits to bless you abundantly. But God never interferes with your free will. So you have to do the asking.
Now, don’t mistake God for a heavenly vending machine–it’s not about plugging in prayers and receiving whatever whim takes your fancy today–fancy car, new house, the latest electronic gadget. Jabez trusted that God knew what he needed, and asked only that God bless him and enlarge his territory–in other words, he asked for an abundant life–whatever that would be.
And he offered himself to God in return. What can you offer God in return for blessings today? What do you suppose God needs from you today? Not material things, surely. How about recognition? How about recognition for all that God does every day? How about appreciation? How about respect? How about loyalty? How about a willingness to open yourself up to allowing God’s will to prevail in your life? (That’s a tough one, eh?) So, how about trust? Trusting that God wants what is best for you.
The prophet, Jeremiah wrote, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares our God, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will seek to listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:11-13)
Jeremiah told us that God says, “…you will call upon me and come and pray to me…” Jabez did just that. Jabez prayed his prayer, and God blessed him. God prospered Jabez and enlarged his territory.
Life Application
What God did for Jabez, God will do for each of us. God will do so for you. Why not give the prayer of Jabez a try. It’s short enough. Try saying it every day and see the changes in your life. Let me know how you’re doing.