9. The connection of this verse also does not appear. According to Targum (on verse 13) Jabez = Othniel, the nephew or brother of Caleb.
And Jabez, etc.] Render, And Jabez came to be honoured above his brethren, but his mother had called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with pain. Jabez suggests a somewhat similar word spelt with the same consonants but in a different order, and meaning “he giveth pain.” The stylistic similarity between this verse and many passages in Genesis (e.g. Genesis xxx.) cannot fail to be noticed, and it is important to observe that a tradition of this popular character was current in the style of the patriarchal narratives of Genesis in the Chronicler’s time. Compare also vii. 23. The man with the ill-omened name staved off ill-fortune by his prayer which is given in the following verse.
¹⁰And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow! And God granted him that which he requested.
10. that thou wouldest keep me from evil] Literally that thou wouldest make ... from evil. The Hebrew is therefore strange, though not indefensible. Perhaps some words have fallen out, and it may originally have read somewhat as follows, that thou wouldest make [room (merḥābh) for me, and wouldest redeem (phādīthā) me] from evil.
that it be not to my sorrow] or so that no pain befell me.
11–15 for Chelub (verse 11) = Caleb (see on ii. 9, 42).
Sons of Caleb.
¹¹And Chelub the brother of Shuhah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton. ¹²And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash[¹]. These are the men of Recah.
[¹] Or, the city of Nahash.
12. These are the men of Recah] Recah is unknown. Perhaps the true reading is that of the LXX. (B), the men of Rechab, i.e. Rechabite families; compare ii. 55, note.
¹³And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.