1 Chronicles 4:10

And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jabez, a man whose mother named him "pain" (v.9), calls out to the God of Israel in a single, urgent petition. He asks for blessing, enlarged territory, divine protection, and freedom from pain.

The words — בָּרַךְ (barakh, H1288), "bless," is a root often linked to the physical act of kneeling, grounding the petition in bodily submission rather than abstract prayer.

The thread — The pattern of earnest petition granted runs through Matthew 7:7 ("ask, and it will be given"), Psalm 116:1 ("He has heard my voice"), and Proverbs 10:22 ("the blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it").

Why it lands — Jabez's request is concrete and specific—not a generic plea for goodness but a named list of needs—and it is granted. The reader is invited to bring their own particular burdens to God in the same direct, unadorned way.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּקְרָ֣אva/i.yik.Ra'and/ he called יַ֠עְבֵּץYa'.betzJabez לֵאלֹהֵ֨יle./lo.Heito/ [the] God of יִשְׂרָאֵ֜לYis.ra.'ElIsrael לֵאמֹ֗רle./Mor<to>/ saying אִם־'im-if בָּרֵ֨ךְba.Rekhreally <bless>תְּבָרֲכֵ֜נִיte.va.ra.Khe./niyou will bless/ me וְהִרְבִּ֤יתָve./hir.Bi.taand/ you will increase אֶת־'et-<obj.>גְּבוּלִי֙ge.vu.L/iterritory/ my וְהָיְתָ֤הve./ha.ye.Tahand/ it will be יָדְךָ֙ya.de./Khahand/ your עִמִּ֔י'i.M/iwith/ me וְעָשִׂ֥יתָve./'a.Si.taand/ you will act מֵּרָעָ֖הme./ra.'Ahfrom/ harm לְבִלְתִּ֣יle./vil.Tito/ not עָצְבִּ֑י'a.tze.B/ito hurt/ me וַיָּבֵ֥אva/i.ya.Ve'and/ he brought אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimGod אֵ֥ת'et<obj.>אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-[that] which שָׁאָֽל׃sha.'Alhe had asked for

King James Version

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Cross-references

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Psalms 116:1 I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice—my appeal for mercy.
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Psalms 119:173 May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.
Psalms 66:19 But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.

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