Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Chronicles 4:9

"And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow." — 1 Chronicles 4:9 (ASV)

It is remarkable that Jabez is introduced without description or patronymic, as if he were a well-known personage. We can only suppose that he was known to those for whom Chronicles was written, either by tradition or by writings that have perished. In 1 Chronicles 4:10, Jabez alludes to his name, “sorrowful” (as noted in the margin), by praying: “Grant that the grief implied in my name may not come upon me!”