Little is known of Jabez, other than he was a descendant of Judah, he was an honorable man, and his mother named him “Jabez” (meaning “sorrowful” or “sorrow-maker”) because his had been a painful birth.
Kakaunti lang ang maaaring malaman tungkol kay Jabes. Maliban sa siya ay nanggaling sa angkan ni Juda, siya rin ay isang taong marangal at pinangalanan siya ng kanyang ina na Jabes (na nangangahulugan na malungkutin o pinagmumulan ng kalungkutan) dahil nagdusa ito ng labis sa pagsisilang sa kanya.