WHO IS JABEZ?

By Adesoji Fasanya

NB: Image sourced from the madeofstill.com

With sincerity of heart, I pen my unreserved gratitude to everyone who read my previous article “IN SAMSON’S DEFENSE”. You not only read it, but you also shared, clapped, and sent feedbacks. The article is one of my most-read articles in recent times, and for this I am grateful. Going forward, I will be releasing similar articles and tractates to illuminate the reader’s heart and attempt to rediscover the historic and Jewish meaning of biblical events, intending to reevaluate the African idiosyncrasies and syncretism in biblical theology and principles. We would also pick on Christian trends and attempt to juxtapose them with biblical opinions in an attempt to make truth bare and accessible to all. For this reason, we invite you to join our community by subscribing to our page here on Medium, and following EDEN HOUSE on X and Instagram. (@propheticvibes on all social media platforms).

In this particular essay, I would like to help us rediscover who the biblical Jabez is. If you grow up in Nigeria and I dare, say, Africa, you would be conversant with the popular phrase, “The Prayer of Jabez”. This prayer that is captured in 1 Chronicles 4:9–10 is almost the entirety of what we have documented in the biblical texts about Jabez. However, as we delve deep into the fabric of Jewish writings, we are amazed and how much we have missed about Jabez. Jabez was not just a man who should be remembered for his sorrowful beginning, his story is a testament to the fact that God is faithful and hears the prayer of His people. As we peruse through this discourse, you will see that Jabez’s story is one of grass-to-grace; is one of a sheer determination not to end one’s life by the circumstances of humble beginnings but to move from these shackles into becoming a national phenomenon and a blessing to other generations.

1 Chronicles 4:9–10 says;

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 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!” And God granted what he asked.

Verse 9 is more of a summary of Jabez’s entire life — He was more honorable than his brothers. Though he was named ‘sorrow’ for reasons known to his mother which is captured in ‘I bore him in pain’. He lived his early life in sorrow but for the reason captured in verse 10, Jabez didn’t end his life in sorrow or pain. So, we see a man born in pain, lived in sorrow and experienced the lows of life, turned to God of Israel in prayers and He answered his prayers and became ‘more honorable than his brothers’ who may have had similar backgrounds. But that’s not all about Jabez. Let’s see 1 Chronicles 2:55.

The clans also of the scribes who lived at. Jabez: the. Tirathites, the. Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

One of the habits of biblical authors is to write about people or places at different parts of their writings and expect the reader to make a mental connection. The chronicler is doing the same thing, he had first mentioned Jabez to be a place in Judah (which is near Bethlehem) before mentioning Jabez to be a character. Three families of the Scribes lived in Jabez and what these families were and what they did, the chronicler didn’t mention. However, when we turn to the Targum (Targum is the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible), we are immediately shocked by what we read. Before checking the Targum, here is what John Gill in his commentary had to say on 1 Chronicles 2:55;

“…and interprets these families as dwelling with Jabez their master, and they, his scholars, and that. they. were. called. by. their. progenitors. Tirathites, because. learned. and. ingenious, and precentors of the divine oracles; Shimeathites, because they diligently hearkened to the sacred songs, and the doctrines of the law of God; and Suchathites, because they dwelt not in cities, but in tents, despisers of all worldly things, that they might freely attend to learn…”

Here is how the Targum reads in 1 Chronicles 4:9–10;

“And Jabez was more honorable and wiser in the law than his brethren, …and multiply my boarders with disciples, and that your hand be with me in business, prospering and succeeding me, and make me companions such as I am: lest the evil figment (or corruption of nature) should move or provoke me. And God granted him that which he requested.”

What Gill and Targum reveal is that Jabez, although born in pain and lived in sorrow, gave attention to the law of God and became a diligent scribe who became honorable and wiser than his friends and families. He then prayed that God would give him disciples to be taught in the law of God and prosper him in this very desire. The purpose of praying is that he wishes that there would be people given to the study of God’s word like him so that he is not engulfed in pride and thinks he is the only one with the knowledge of God’s law and word. God answered him because of the sincerity of his heart and he built a school in Judah where three families of Scribes were learning from him.

What’s more amazing is that which these Scribal families represented. The first family or clan understood and delivered divine oracles; the second could trap prophetic sounds (songs) and extrapolate doctrines from the law of God, and the last clan consecrated themselves unto God, despising temporal pleasures and frivolities. If we are to believe that a teacher can only give as much as he has and not more, then we can be sure that Jabez taught his students the ways of divine oracles, prophetic sounds, sound doctrine, and consecration because he practiced these things.

Furthermore, Clarke in his commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:55 and 4:9 identifies Jabez with Othniel as the same character according to Rabbinical traditions. Read more here. If this is true, then the chronicler only captured a summary of his life and ministry while the Judges explained more about his exploit as a Judge (if not the first) of Israel.

This is who Jabez was. This is how Jabez is to be remembered and not the one who lived all his life in pain and sorrow because of his upbringing, but as a Judge in Israel (Judges 3:7–11), the head of a Calebite family, in-law to Caleb (Judges 15:16–17), a scribe, and a prophetic teacher. This is Jabez from a Jewish perspective and this Jabez we must embrace if we must stay true with Bible and its historical and cultural context.

Thank you and remain blessed.

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