Reference: Jabez (1)
Fausets
("sorrowful".) In the genealogy connected with Bethlehem his name is explained by the sorrow with which his mother bore him; also by his prayer "that evil might not grieve him," i.e., though his name expressed sorrow, that God would preserve him from it. His prayer is one of the most comprehensive in the Bible, and shines forth like a brilliant star in the midst of a genealogical catalog of names; probably offered in setting out in life, an admirable model for youths.
Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed (God alone knows what is not only seemingly, but indeed, good for us, not earthly shadows but heavenly realities, and all things here that tend toward them) and enlarge my coast, not merely in temporal but in spiritual interests (1Ki 4:29; Ps 18:19; 31:8; 118:5), "and that Thine hand might be with me (as 'the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him': Ezr 8:18,22; 7:6,9), and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil," etc. (Mt 6:13; Joh 17:15; Lu 22:40,46; 1Co 10:13; 2Pe 2:9; Re 3:10).
Evil may assail, but cannot finally "grieve," the believer. Jabez, the son of sorrow, by prayerful faith inherited joy in the end (Mt 5:4; Ps 90:15; Heb 12:11). Prayer was the secret of his being "more honourable than his brethren" (1Sa 2:30). His name may have been given to the city Jabez, famed for its scribes. The abrupt mention of him shows he was a man of note when Ezra wrote Chronicles. His prayer was to "the God of Israel" with whom Jacob wrestled in prayer, and "by his strength had power with God" (Ho 12:3-4), and so got the new name "Israel." "God granted" him according to the faith of his request (Eph 3:20; Mt 9:29).
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For this reason the Lord God of Israel has said, Truly I did say that your family and your father's people would have their place before me for ever: but now the Lord says, Let it not be so; I will give honour to those by whom I am honoured, and those who have no respect for me will be of small value in my eyes.
And God gave Solomon a great store of wisdom and good sense, and a mind of wide range, as wide as the sand by the seaside.
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a scribe, expert in the law of Moses which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given: and the king, moved by the Lord his God, gave him whatever he made request for.
For, starting his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, he came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, by the good help of his God.
And by the help of our God they got for us Ish-sechel, one of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah with his sons and brothers, eighteen;
For I would not, for shame, make request to the king for a band of armed men and horsemen to give us help against those who might make attacks on us on the way: for we had said to the king, The hand of our God is on his servants for good, but his power and his wrath are against all those who are turned away from him.
He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.
And you have not given me into the hand of my hater; you have put my feet in a wide place.
I made my prayer to the Lord in my trouble: and the Lord gave me an answer, and put me in a wide place.
In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God; He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him;
Happy are those who are sad: for they will be comforted.
And let us not be put to the test, but keep us safe from the Evil One.
Then he put his hand on their eyes, saying, As your faith is, let it be done to you.
And when he came to the place, he said to them, Make a prayer that you may not be put to the test.
And he said, Why are you sleeping? Get up, and give yourselves to prayer, so that you may not be put to the test.
My prayer is not that you will take them out of the world, but that you will keep them from the Evil One.
Now to him who is able to do in full measure more than all our desires or thoughts, through the power which is working in us,
At the time all punishment seems to be pain and not joy: but after, those who have been trained by it get from it the peace-giving fruit of righteousness.
Because you have kept my word in quiet strength, I will keep you from the hour of testing which is coming on all the world, to put to the test those who are on earth.