1 Chronicles 4:10 (WEB)

Passage

Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested.

Nearby Context

1 Chronicles 4:8 Hakkoz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

1 Chronicles 4:9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.”

1 Chronicles 4:10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested.

1 Chronicles 4:11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

1 Chronicles 4:12 Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These are the men of Recah.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "jabez", "israel", "saying", "bless", "indeed", "enlarge", and "border". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "jabez", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers..." into verse 11's "Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the...", so "called" and "jabez" belong inside that flow. In 1 Chronicles context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "jabez" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.