The prayer of Jabez is found in 1 Chronicles 4:10 (KJV): "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." Jabez, whose name sounds like the Hebrew word for pain, asked God for blessing, room to grow, God's presence and protection from harm.
In the middle of nine chapters of family trees, the book of 1 Chronicles suddenly stops to tell a two-verse story about a man named Jabez. His mother named him in pain, and he grew up to call on the God of Israel with a short, bold prayer. God answered it. For centuries the passage was little known, until Bruce Wilkinson's small book The Prayer of Jabez became a bestseller in 2000 and millions of people began praying it daily. Some readers found real encouragement; others worried that the prayer was being used as a formula for success or money. This page lets the King James text speak for itself. Below are the two verses about Jabez, two stories that help explain them, each of his four requests set beside other prayers in Scripture and four verses that keep the prayer in balance. The heart of Jabez's prayer is not a request for more things but a request for God's presence. For more on prayer, see Bible verses about prayer and our Prayers page.
Who was Jabez? 1 Chronicles 4:9-10
1. 1 Chronicles 4:9
"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow."
The first verse tells us two things. Jabez was more honourable than his brethren, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. In Hebrew the name Jabez sounds like the word for pain. Names mattered in Bible times, and carrying a name like that could feel like a label. We are not told what made him honourable. Perhaps it was simply that he turned to God instead of letting his start in life define him.
2. 1 Chronicles 4:10
"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."
Here is the prayer: Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! Notice the last words, that it may not grieve me. A man named for pain asked God to keep pain from defining his life. The verse ends simply: And God granted him that which he requested. God hears honest, humble prayers.
3. Genesis 35:18
"And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin."
Jabez was not the only child named in sorrow. When Rachel was dying in childbirth, she called his name Ben-oni, meaning son of my sorrow, but his father called him Benjamin, son of the right hand. Jacob gave his son a new name of hope. Jabez could not change his name, but he asked God to change his story. Both accounts remind us that where life began is not where God must leave it.
4. Genesis 32:26
"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."
Jabez's first request, bless me indeed, echoes Jacob wrestling through the night: I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Jacob's blessing came with a limp and a new name, Israel. The blessing Jabez and Jacob wanted was not just things but God's favor. Asking God to bless you is not selfish when what you most want is God Himself and His goodness in your life.
The four requests, line by line
5. Psalms 119:32
"I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart."
The second request, enlarge my coast, meant more land or territory. Jabez likely asked for room to live and work. Many Christians today pray it as a request for wider opportunities to serve God. The psalmist asked for a different kind of enlargement: I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. That is a safe way to pray Jabez's words: Lord, give me more room to love and obey You.
6. Ezra 7:28
"And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me."
The third request is the center of the prayer: that thine hand might be with me. The hand of God means His power, guidance and help. Ezra used the same idea when God opened doors for him to lead a group back to Jerusalem: I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me. Success without God's hand would be empty. With it, even small things are blessed.
7. Psalms 141:4
"Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties."
The fourth request is keep me from evil. It can mean harm from outside, but it also includes sin inside. David prayed, Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity. Jesus taught His disciples to pray "deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). Jabez's prayer is not only about avoiding trouble but about being kept faithful.
8. Psalms 25:20
"O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee."
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. This prayer is a good partner for Jabez's last line, that it may not grieve me. David asked God to keep him, not because he deserved it, but because he trusted God. When you pray for protection, you can pray in the same spirit: not as a bargain, but as a child leaning on a Father.
Praying it without a prosperity formula
9. Jeremiah 45:5
"And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest."
A healthy balance comes from God's word to Baruch, Jeremiah's assistant: seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not. God promised Baruch his life, for a prey in all places whither thou goest, meaning he would come through safely. God was not against Baruch's good. He was against ambition that puts self first. Pray Jabez's prayer for God's purposes, not for a bigger name for yourself.
10. Ezra 8:22
"For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him."
Ezra refused to ask the king for soldiers, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him. This is the same hand Jabez prayed for. Notice who receives it: them for good that seek him. The blessing in the prayer of Jabez flows from seeking God, not from saying the right words a certain number of times.
11. Psalms 119:36
"Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness."
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Covetousness means a hungry desire for more possessions. This short prayer is a good companion to Jabez's request for a larger coast. It asks God to make His Word, not more stuff, the thing we lean toward. If you pray the prayer of Jabez daily, consider adding this line to keep your heart honest.
12. Psalms 62:10
"Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them."
If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. The Bible does not say wealth is evil, and God may bless work and give increase. But it warns against trusting in it or loving it. Jabez asked to be kept from evil, and the love of money is one of the evils the Bible warns about most (1 Timothy 6:10). Whatever God gives, hold it with an open hand. See Bible verses about money.
A short prayer
God of Israel, like Jabez I call on You. Bless me indeed, with the blessing that comes from knowing You. Enlarge my heart and give me room to serve You and love others. Let Your hand be with me in my work, my home and my choices. Keep me from evil, outside and inside, that it may not grieve me or those around me. Incline my heart to Your Word and not to covetousness. I trust You with the answer. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Write your own prayers in the 30-Day Prayer Journal · Memorize 1 Chronicles 4:10 with the Scripture Memory Cards · Print free Bible verse bookmarks for your prayer corner
Frequently asked questions
What is the prayer of Jabez in the KJV?
The prayer of Jabez is 1 Chronicles 4:10: "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." Verse 9 explains that his mother named him Jabez "Because I bare him with sorrow."
What does enlarge my coast mean?
In the KJV, coast means border or territory, not seashore. Jabez was asking God for more land, likely for his family to live and farm. Today many Christians apply it to wider opportunities to serve, influence or care for others. The Bible does not promise a bigger territory to everyone who prays these words, but God welcomes honest requests made with trust in Him.
Is it wrong to pray the prayer of Jabez?
No. It is a prayer in Scripture, and God answered it. The concern some pastors raise is using it as a formula for wealth or success. Jabez's prayer is mainly about God's presence ("that thine hand might be with me") and being kept from evil. Pray it along with "Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10), and it fits well with the rest of Scripture. See the Lord's Prayer in the KJV.
Who was Jabez in the Bible?
Jabez appears only in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, in the family lists of the tribe of Judah. We know he was "more honourable than his brethren," that his mother named him in sorrow and that he prayed and God answered. A town called Jabez is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:55 as a place where families of scribes lived, which may be connected to him.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
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