1 Chronicles 4:9

9 And Jabez is honoured above his brethren, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, `Because I have brought forth with grief.'

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 And sons of Helah: Zereth, and Zohar, and Ethnan.

8 And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum.

9 And Jabez is honoured above his brethren, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, `Because I have brought forth with grief.'

10 And Jabez calleth to the God of Israel, saying, `If blessing Thou dost bless me, then Thou hast made great my border, and Thy hand hath been with me, and Thou hast kept [me] from evil -- not to grieve me;' and God bringeth in that which he asked.

11 And Chelub brother of Shuah begat Mehir; he [is] father of Eshton.