The Prayer of Jabez — sacred illustration
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Traditional Prayers

The Prayer of Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:10

1 Chronicles 4:10 records the prayer of Jabez, a man named in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah, who called out to the God of Israel to bless him, enlarge his territory and keep him from harm, and God granted his request.

God of Israel, like Jabez I call out to You. Bless me, Lord, and let my life be useful in Your hands. Widen the place You have given me to love and serve others. Let Your hand be with me, keep me from harm, and free me from pain. Whatever You give, I trust You, and I want You more than any gift. Amen.

1 Chronicles 4:10 records the prayer of Jabez, a man named in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah, who called out to the God of Israel to bless him, enlarge his territory and keep him from harm, and God granted his request.

The Scripture

“And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.”

— 1 Chronicles 4:10

Prayer points from 1 Chronicles 4:10

  1. Call out to God honestly, as Jabez did.
  2. Ask for His blessing on your life, your work and your family.
  3. Ask Him to widen the reach of your love and service.
  4. Pray for His hand to be with you today.
  5. Bring Him any pain from your past and ask Him to free you.
  6. Leave the outcome with Him, trusting Him with what He gives.

About this verse

Jabez the man appears in only two verses of the Bible, in the middle of a long list of names from the tribe of Judah. The list pauses to tell us two things about him. First, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers,” though his mother had named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Second, he prayed: “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And the verse ends simply: “God granted the request of Jabez.” A bestselling book made this prayer famous around the year 2000, but the passage itself makes no promise that anyone who repeats these words will be given more land, money or success. What it shows is a man marked by pain who brought his whole life to God, asked boldly, and was heard. This prayer is for anyone who wants to pray like Jabez: honestly, for God’s blessing and His hand on their life.

When to pray this prayer

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