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Jabez

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A descendant of Judah known for his honourable prayer for blessing, asking God to enlarge his territory; in poetry, he symbolizes ambition, humility, and the seeking of divine favour for righteous purposes.

Detailed Definition
Jabez, more honorable than his brothers, prayed for protection and expansion of territory, and God granted his request (1 Chronicles 4:9–10). In poetry, Jabez represents the power of bold, faithful prayer, the desire for divine favor over inherited limitation, and the transformation of pain (his name means “he causes pain”) into blessing.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Jabez’s prayer (1 Chronicles 4:10) illustrates bold petition; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Jabez symbolizes the one who enlarges borders through prayer; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Jabez’s request for protection models dependence; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Jabez represents the petitioner who names his pain; In Christina Rossetti’s "Later Life," Jabez’s name (“sorrow”) transformed by grace inspires hope; In T.S. Eliot’s "Four Quartets," Jabez’s enlarged territory prefigures spiritual expansion.
Additional Notes
Jabez: Prayerful man from 1 Chronicles 4:9–10 who asked God to “keep me from harm” and “enlarge my territory.” His brief story became popular in devotional literature. In poetry, Jabez represents the power of audacious prayer, the naming of pain (“more honorable than his brothers”), and divine response to petition. Ideal for poems on blessing, expansion, or the theology of asking boldly.
Also Known As
Jabez the Honorable Jabez of the Prayer
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