This section ends with those who “dwelt with the king for his work” (1 Chron 4:13). Able and available!
We have the first record in 1 Chronicles of Judah the man in 2:1, where the sons of Israel are listed. Then 2:2-17 takes us from Judah to David and his immediate family. In the rest of chapter 2 (vv 18-55), we have the special case of Caleb being adopted into Judah, already discussed. In chapter 3, we have David’s wives and children (vv 1-9), Solomon’s direct royal lineage through to Zedekiah (vv 10-16), and the ill-fated family of Jeconiah, the cursed one (vv 17-24). Thankfully, we’re spared the names of Solomon’s “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines” (1 Ki 11:3)! When we arrive at 1 Chronicles 4:1-23, we seem to have a repeat of Judah’s family, but it fills in others in Judah who are not in the royal line. The first one to happily surprise us gives the impression of a children’s book with pop-up characters. Amidst all these names, one man suddenly stands up. Listen! He’s praying! We read, “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain’” (v 9). Here is his famous prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” (v 10). Are you a kindred spirit? Do you want God’s blessings rather than the world’s baubles? Do you want a full life rather than an easy life—a life with ever-growing opportunities? Do you want to live never more than an arms-length from the Lord, with His hand directing and empowering you? And do you prefer preservation in holiness rather than restoration from evil? Finally, here’s a man who doesn’t want to live up to his name (meaning “pain”)! Oh to regularly introduce God’s pleasures to others!