The Real Prayer of Jabez

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I gave birth to him in pain.” Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would greatly bless me and extend my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm so that it would…

Birth Wright

  Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep…

Asaph Doubles Down

Surely you set them in slippery places; you cast them down into ruin.  How they are brought into desolation in a moment, utterly consumed with terrors!  Psalm 73:18-19  Hebrew World translation Terrors – What does Asaph have to do with the prayer of Jabez?  You will have to read both in Hebrew to know the…

Wasted Effort

Jabez called upon the God of Israel saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain.”  1 Chronicles 4:10  ESV Pain – The key Hebrew word encompassing the verbal…

Contented Blessing

Jabez called upon the God of Israel saying, “Oh that you would bless me . . .”  1 Chronicles 4:10  ESV Bless – This word is barak.  Examining it as a noun, we find that receiving a blessing in the Old Testament means getting something favorable from someone greater.  The paradigm case is the transmission…