I Chronicles 4:10

A second genealogy of Judah, vv. 1-23. The account of Jabez, Ch1 4:9, Ch1 4:10. The genealogy of Simeon, Ch1 4:24-27. Their cities, Ch1 4:28-31. Their villages, and where situated, Ch1 4:32, Ch1 4:33. The heads of families, Ch1 4:34-38. Where they settled; and what was their occupation, Ch1 4:39-43.

God granted him that which he requested--Whatever was the kind of undertaking which roused his anxieties, Jabez enjoyed a remarkable degree of prosperity, and God, in this instance, proved that He was not only the hearer, but the answerer of prayer.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel,.... Or prayed to him, as the Targum; though some understand it as a vow, promising what he would do if God would do thus and thus for him; the Syriac and Arabic versions read in the third person, taking it to be what others, his parents and friends, wished for him: let him bless thee,.... but they are doubtless his own words, and a supplication of his to the Lord: saying, oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed; the Targum adds, with children; but he no doubt prayed for greater blessings than any outward or temporal ones are, even spiritual blessings, covenant blessings, the sure mercies of David, which are solid, substantial, durable, and irreversible: and enlarge my coast; the Targum is,"multiply my borders with disciples.''It may be understood of an enlargement of the borders of his country, by expelling the Canaanites that might dwell in it, and of an increase of his worldly substance for good ends and purposes; or rather of a spiritual enlargement by deliverance from spiritual enemies, and of grace as to exercise; and particularly of spiritual light and knowledge, and of the affections and desires of the soul after divine things, see Psa 4:1. and that thine hand might be with me; the Targum adds, in business, prospering and succeeding him; the sense may be, that his hand of providence might be with him to protect him, of grace and love to comfort and help him in every time of need, of wisdom to direct him, and of power to keep him: and that thou wouldest keep me from evil; from the evil of affliction, and especially from the evil of sin, and from the evil one, Satan, and from all evil men and evil company; the Targum is,"and make me companions such as I am:''that it may not grieve me; alluding to his name Jabez, which he had fro…

And Jabez called on the God of Israel,.... Or prayed to him, as the Targum; though some understand it as a vow, promising what he would do if God would do thus and thus for him; the Syriac and Arabic versions read in the third person, taking it to be what others, his parents and friends, wished for him: let him bless thee,.... but they are doubtless his own words, and a supplication of his to the Lord: saying, oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed; the Targum adds, with children; but he no doubt prayed for greater blessings than any outward or temporal ones are, even spiritual blessings, covenant blessings, the sure mercies of David, which are solid, substantial, durable, and irreversible: and enlarge my coast; the Targum is,"multiply my borders with disciples.''It may be understood of an enlargement of the borders of his country, by expelling the Canaanites that might dwell in it, and of an increase of his worldly substance for good ends and purposes; or rather of a spiritual enlargement by deliverance from spiritual enemies, and of grace as to exercise; and particularly of spiritual light and knowledge, and of the affections and desires of the soul after divine things, see Psa 4:1. and that thine hand might be with me; the Targum adds, in business, prospering and succeeding him; the sense may be, that his hand of providence might be with him to protect him, of grace and love to comfort and help him in every time of need, of wisdom to direct him, and of power to keep him: and that thou wouldest keep me from evil; from the evil of affliction, and especially from the evil of sin, and from the evil one, Satan, and from all evil men and evil company; the Targum is,"and make me companions such as I am:''that it may not grieve me; alluding to his name Jabez, which he had fro…

In this chapter we have, I. A further account of the genealogies of the tribe of Judah, the most numerous and most famous of all the tribes. The posterity of Shobal the son of Hur (Ch1 4:1-4), of Ashur the posthumous son of Hezron (who was mentioned, Ch1 2:24), with something particular concerning Jabez (Ch1 4:5-10), of Chelub and others (Ch1 4:11-20), of Shelah (Ch1 4:21-23). II. An account of the posterity and cities of Simeon, their conquest of Gedon, and of the Amalekites in Mount Seir (v. 24-43).