English · KJV
H3258

יַעְבֵּץ

Yaʻbêts /yah-bates'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom an unused root probably meaning to grieve
Meaningsorrowful; Jabets, the name of an Israelite, and also of a place in Palestine
KJV usageJabez.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Yaʻbêts — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Yaʻbêts H3258 is defined as sorrowful and is the name of both an Israelite and a place in Palestine. It appears 4 times across 3 unique verses. The name is derived from an unused root that probably means to grieve, tying it directly to the concept of pain or sorrow.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, Yaʻbêts is introduced as an individual who was more honourable H3513 than his brethren H251 1 Chronicles 4:9. His mother H517 gave him the name H8034 Jabez because she bare H3205 him with sorrow H6090. His story is defined by his famous prayer where he called H7121 on the God H430 of Israel H3478, asking to be kept from evil H7451 so that it would not grieve H6087 him, a direct reference to his name's meaning. The Bible records that God granted H935 his request 1 Chronicles 4:10. The name is also used for a place where families H4940 of scribes H5608 dwelt H3427 1 Chronicles 2:55.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words illuminate the context of the story of Jabez:

  • H6090 ʻôtseb (sorrow): This word is the explicit reason his mother gave him his name, as she bore him with sorrow 1 Chronicles 4:9.
  • H3513 kâbad (honourable): This word, which can mean to be heavy or rich, describes Jabez as being more honourable than his brethren, creating a stark contrast with his sorrowful name 1 Chronicles 4:9.
  • H1288 bârak (to bless): This is the central verb in the prayer of Jabez, who asks God to bless him indeed 1 Chronicles 4:10. It signifies receiving a divine benefit.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3258 is significant, highlighting several key principles.

  • Transcending Origins: Jabez's life demonstrates that a person's beginning does not have to determine their destiny. Though named for sorrow H6090, he became more honourable H3513 than his family 1 Chronicles 4:9.
  • Efficacy of Prayer: The brief account focuses on his direct appeal to God. Jabez called H7121 upon God, and the narrative explicitly states that God granted H935 what he requested H7592, showing the power of a faithful request 1 Chronicles 4:10.
  • Dependence on God: The prayer of Jabez is a model of dependence on God for blessing, expanded territory, divine presence ("thine hand H3027 might be with me"), and protection from evil, showing that true prosperity and security come from God.

Summary

In summary, Yaʻbêts H3258 signifies much more than its sorrowful definition. It represents a person and a place associated with a pivotal prayer. The story of the man Jabez is a powerful account of overcoming a painful beginning to become honourable and receive God's blessing. His life illustrates that faith, expressed through direct prayer, can redefine one's circumstances and serves as a testament to God's willingness to hear and respond to His people.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • יַעְבֵּץ
  • יַעְבֵּץ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3513 כָּבַד or כָּבֵד; a primitive root; to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, r H251 אָח a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance ( H517 אֵם a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father)); H8034 שֵׁם a primitive word (perhaps rather from through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare שָׁמַיִם); an appel H3205 יָלַד a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bea H6090 עֹצֶב a variation of עֶצֶב; an idol (as fashioned); also pain (bodily or mental); idol, sorrow, [idiom] wicked.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

3 verses, all in 1 Chronicles — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.