· Translation: KJV

1 Chronicles 4:10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow!" God granted him that which he requested.

The setting

Israel, sometime before the exile. A man named 'Pain' dares to ask God for the opposite of his name...

The emotion here: desperate hope mixed with bold faith

The original word

barak (בָּרַךְ) — to kneel in worship while asking for divine favor

Why it matters

This is one of only four prayers recorded in Chronicles, making it extremely significant

Read with care

What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 4:10

He asks for FOUR specific things in order: blessing, territory, presence, protection - a complete life transformation

Common misconceptionProsperity teachers use this for wealth, but Jabez asked for 'enlargement' in the context of serving God's people. He wanted more territory to shepherd, not accumulate.

Bible Genome reading

1 Chronicles 4:10 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJabez
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotionseeking
Literary typeprayer
MarkPrayer

Emotional genome

Comfort power60%
Quotability80%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance50%
Standalone70%
Themes:prayerblessingdivine favorexpansion

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 1 Chronicles 4

1 Chronicles 4:10 comes from the book of 1 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jabez. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the prayer genre of biblical literature. Key themes include prayer, blessing, divine favor, expansion. Notable phrases: called on the God of Israel; bless me indeed; enlarge my border; your hand might be with me. This verse is a prayer.

Your reflection

What does 1 Chronicles 4:10 mean to you, today?

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