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Bible

Enlarge My Territory

After Jabez asks for blessings so that he could be a blessing to others, he then adds: “and enlarge my territory” In Bible times, territory meant power via increased authority, responsibility, and influence. As, such, a request for “more territory” is not a petition for more “stuff,” as much as a metaphor implying greater authority, […]

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Bible

Bless Me, Indeed!

The first line of the Prayer of Jabez, is: “Oh, that you would bless me, indeed,” First of all, the word “indeed” is a way of adding emphasis, much like we would do with an exclamation point.  It wasn’t enough for Jabez to merely make his request, he made it passionately and emphatically. The request […]

Bible Dictionary

The words and names found in this Bible Dictionary section are taken from the Bible or relate to biblical concepts and principles. Note that some of these words may not be present in all translations or versions of the Bible. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O […]

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Bible

You Don’t Have to be a Pain

The obscure Old Testament character Jabez is only mentioned in two verses in the Bible. A reoccurring theme (if two verses can have a reoccurring theme) is pain. The birth of Jabez is marked by pain and his mom gives him a name to let everyone know that.  What a terrible legacy to give a […]