Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I gave birth to him in pain.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.”
- KJV And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
- BSB Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”
- NKJV Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”
- NLT There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jabez stands out as 'more honorable than his brothers,' though his name means 'pain' from the sorrow of his birth. It sets up the striking prayer that follows.
Overview
In the middle of a name-list, the Chronicler pauses to highlight Jabez, a man whose very name memorialized his mother's painful labor. Yet despite this discouraging start, he was esteemed above his kin. The brief portrait prepares the reader for verse 10, where his honor is shown to rest not in himself but in his dependence on the God of Israel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Sam 4:21She named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”; because God’s ark was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
- Gen 35:18As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
- Gen 3:16To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
- 1 Chr 7:23He went in to his wife, and she conceived, and bore a son, and he named him Beriah, because there was trouble with his house.
- Gen 34:19The young man didn’t wait to do this thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was honored above all the house of his father.
- Acts 17:11Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
- Isa 43:4Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
How 1 Chronicles 4:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.