1 Chronicles 4:9

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."

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 Helah: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.

8 Koz was the father of Anub, Zobe'bah, and the families of Ahar'hel the son of Harum.

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."

10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that thou wouldst bless me and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from harm so that it might not hurt me!" And God granted what he asked.

11 Chelub, the brother of Shuhah, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.