1 Chronicles 4:9

9 Ya`betz was more honorable than his brothers: and his mother named him Ya`betz, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow.

1 Chronicles 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 4:9

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren
The Targum adds,

``and wiser in the law than his brethren;''

or he might be a man of great wealth and riches, or of great strength and courage, all which make a man honourable; or he may be so called, because a praying man, as follows, a man of devotion and religion, a man of God, see ( 1 Samuel 9:6 ) , but who he was is not easy to say, probably a son or brother of Harum, or however that belonged to one of the families of Aharhel, mentioned in the preceding verse; for that he was Othniel, as say the Targumist and other Jewish writers ^F26, is not probable, and besides is after spoken of distinct from him, ( 1 Chronicles 4:13 )

and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, because I bare him with
sorrow;
either with sorrow for her husband, being dead, or by reason of very sharp pains she endured at the birth of him; he was another Benoni.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 T. Bab. Temurah, fol. 16. 1.

1 Chronicles 4:9 In-Context

7 The sons of Hel'ah were Tzeret, Tzochar, and Etnan.

8 Kotz became the father of `Anuv, and Tzovevah, and the families of Acharchel the son of Harum.

9 Ya`betz was more honorable than his brothers: and his mother named him Ya`betz, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow.

10 Ya`betz called on the God of Yisra'el, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested.

11 Kelub the brother of Shuchah became the father of Mechir, who was the father of Eshton.