Will You Bless Me?
The prayer of Jabez.
The story of Jabez provides a lesson in faith and encouragement for those looking for guidance or help from God.
Around the year 2000, I remember hearing about a book called The Prayer of Jabez. I was busy raising kids and serving as a worship pastor. It was a season of me being drawn more deeply into a life of devotion and prayer.
This book was all the rage in Christian communities. I do not remember if I bought The Prayer of Jabez or received it as a gift, but I did acquire and read it. I marked up every page and read the book again. At the time, I needed encouragement and direction, and the lesson of Jabez’s prayer gave me renewed hope.
It’s not exactly a story, though. Two verses—that’s it. Two short verses in the fourth chapter of 1 Chronicles introduce us to Jabez. What’s written there is brief and stuck in the middle of the “official family records of the nation of Israel.”1
This biblical review provides a detailed history of these ancient genealogies, sometimes referred to as the ‘Who’s Who’ of characters in the story. On the list, we find Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Israel (Joseph), Judah, Boaz, David, Solomon, and the record goes on.
Sinners and saints alike make the list, along with their many descendants. Some were stalwart followers of God, while others disobeyed His instructions repeatedly. And right in the middle of all this, we find Jabez.
But who was Jabez?
One description of The Prayer of Jabez says, “The life of Jabez, one of the Bible's most overlooked heroes of the faith, bursts from unbroken pages of genealogies in an audacious, four-part prayer...”2
If you’ve not read the fourth chapter of 1 Chronicles (recently, or ever) I encourage you to do so. As you read, note what I’ve already mentioned—page after page of the ‘Who’s Who,’ plus their offspring. See how it goes on and on?
Up to this point, you may wonder if you can stay awake through another paragraph. You are struggling to read names you cannot pronounce. Then, in chapter four, notice how, after verse eight, Jabez bursts from unbroken pages of genealogies.
Enter Jabez. In the middle of recounting the individuals God used to tell His story in the Old Testament, the writer inserts an abrupt turnabout in style and tone.
“There was a man named Jabez…”
He was a minor character in Scripture, yet Jabez unexpectedly appears in this long lineup of the major Old Testament players. It’s as if the writer of 1 Chronicles paused amid the long line of characters and said, “Ah, wait a minute!” […] You just gotta know something about this guy named Jabez.”3
The placement may seem off, but the lesson is vital. Jabez is remembered not as a hero of the faith but as one who knew how to pray.4
He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” 1 Chronicles 4.10
“Oh, that You would bless me…”
Have you ever prayed such a prayer, friend? Maybe not with those exact words, but most of us have asked such a thing of the Lord. It is obvious Jabez was acquainted with the God of Israel. His prayer begins by boldly (perhaps urgently) asking God for a blessing. And as you’ll see, this was about more than a request for material blessing.
Our pastor often says, “We pray BIG prayers to a BIG God!” Somehow, I think Jabez was reaching deep, asking God for something that looked impossible. When we ask God for a blessing, we ask Him for something we cannot provide for ourselves. In other words, only God can do it!
“Expand my territory!”
Some bible translations use the word border instead of territory. A word study helps us understand Jabez was not simply referring to physical land. The spiritual implication here is that he wanted to make an impact. Jabez was asking God to expand his heart—that he might be used to contribute to building God’s kingdom.
This should be the desire of our hearts as Christian believers. Oh, that He would expand our hearts and give us opportunities to share the hope of Christ—wherever He takes us in this life.
“Be with me in all that I do…”
This line in the prayer indicates Jabez’s acknowledgment of his humanity. In asking God to expand his territory, Jabez seems to have known the necessity of having God walk beside him all the way—into the unknown.
When we ask God to bless us, we should do so from a place of submission to Him as Lord of our life and all that entails. Oh, that He would be with us in all that we do—leading, guiding, growing, and using us, to the glory of His great name.
“And keep me from all trouble and pain!”
Here there is a sense of something very personal in Jabez’s life. The Scripture says, “His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful (v.9).” In Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament) “Jabez” means to grieve, vex, and experience pain. Her delivery was difficult, and she gave him the name Painful.5
In saying keep me from all trouble and pain, Jabez is asking God to move him past the reminder and intended purpose of his name. “Lord, let it be something more, something greater, something significant for You!”
“There was a man named Jabez…”
While preparing this essay, I read those words from Scripture again. At that moment, I saw my name on the page. “There was a woman named Karlene!!” Wow! Okay, God.
Friend, read that line aloud and insert your name in place of Jabez.
Oh, that you would be remembered as one who knew how to pray, who trusted God, and who believed He would have His way in your life—to the glory of His great name! Amen.
“Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” 1 Chronicles 4.9-10
These words are my creation minus the mechanics of artificial intelligence (AI). You are welcome here!
The study notes in this Bible provide a wealth of information. Chronological Life Application Study Bible. Notes and Bible helps © 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (pg. 1225)
These words are taken from the Amazon description of the book listing for The Prayer of Jabez.
The Prayer of Jabez. by Bruce H. Wilkinson. © 2000 by Multnomah Publishers.
Chronological Life Application Study Bible. Notes and Bible helps © 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (pg. 1230)
If you’re into word studies, you may find this article by Skip Moen intriguing or insightful, probably both. The Real Prayer of Jabez. (link effective 4/3/2024)