Person Old Testament
Jabez
Jabez, who was more honorable than his brothers, cried out to God, who granted his request to enlarge his territory and keep him from harm. Mentioned in 2 verses across 1 book, first at 1 Chronicles 4:9.
Why it matters. More honorable than his brothers; God granted his prayer.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Jabez
Jabez is mentioned in 1Ch.4.9-10 as a descendant of Judah. He is described as being more honorable than his brothers, though the reason for this distinction is not given.
The passage records a prayer of Jabez, in which he cries out to the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!" (1Ch.4.10, ESV). The chronicler then notes that God granted his request.
This brief account of Jabez provides a glimpse into the personal faith and prayer life of an individual during the time of the chronicler. Jabez's prayer reflects a desire for God's blessing, protection, and provision. His request for enlarged borders may indicate a desire for increased territory or influence.
The fact that God granted Jabez's request suggests that his prayer was sincere and in line with God's will. This account serves as an encouragement to readers to bring their own requests to God in faith, trusting in His goodness and care.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
- Parents
- Koz (?)
Appears in Scripture
Named in 2 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.