Pledge [E,I,N,B] Bible Dictionaries

Dictionaries :: Pledge

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pledge:

See LOAN.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Pledge:

plej (verbs chabhal (10 times), ‘arabh (2Ki 18:23 equals Isa 36:8); nouns chahal (Eze 18:12,16; 33:15), chabcholah (Eze 18:7), ‘arubbah), (1Sa 17:18), erabhon (Ge 38:17,18,20); also abhoT (De 24:10-13) and (the Revised Version (British and American) only) abhTiT (Hab 2:6)): All these words have about the same meaning.

(1) The "pledge" is, as in modern English, security given for future payment (Ge 38:17-24) or conduct (Hab 2:6, where the conquered nations have given guaranties of their subserviency to the Chaldeans; the King James Version's "thick clay" here rests on a misreading of the Hebrew). In 2Ki 18:23 (equals Isa 36:8) the "pledge" is a wager (so the Revised Version margin). Rabshakeh mockingly dares Hezekiah to stake a "pledge" that he can produce 2,000 men for the defense of Jerusalem, although the mighty Assyrian host has that number of horses alone. The general point of the obscure passage Pr 20:16 (equals 27:13) is that he who guarantees strangers needs a guaranty himself. 1Sa 17:18 is uncertain and the text may be corrupt. If not, the "pledge" is some (prearranged?) token of the welfare of David's brethren.

(2) Most of the occurrences of "pledge," however, deal with the debts of the very poor, who had no property that they could spare even temporarily. Consequently, the exaction of a pledge from such persons worked genuine hardship, and to take a pledge at all was a cruel act (Job 24:3), although of course the dishonesty of withholding a pledge (Eze 18:7; 33:15) was worse. Lowest in the scale was the creditor who took the garment the borrower was wearing (Am 2:8; Job 22:6; 24:9 margin), and special legislation controlled this practice. A garment (the outer "cloak" (see DRESS) not worn while doing manual labor) so taken must be restored at night (Ex 22:26; De 24:12,13), for it was the usual covering of the sleeper. (Apparently, though, the creditor regained custody of it in the daytime until the debt was paid.) A widow's clothing, however, was entirely exempt (De 24:17), as was the handmill used for bread-making (De 24:6). The lender had no right of entry into the borrower's house to obtain the pledge (De 24:10,11), but it is not said that he could not dictate what he would accept; indeed, the contrary is inconceivable.

(3) the American Standard Revised Version gives "pledge" for the King James Version and the English Revised Version "faith" in 1Ti 5:12.



Written by Burton Scott Easton

Nave's Topical Bible

Pledge: General Scriptures Concerning

Gen 38:17-20

Pledge: A Creditor Must Not Enter the House of a Debtor to Take

Deu 24:10-13

Pledge: References Concerning

See PAWN; SURETY (GUARANTEE)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Pledge:

SEE [LOAN].

Loan:

The Mosaic law required that when an Israelite needed to borrow, what he asked was to be freely lent to him, and no interest was to be charged, although interest might be taken of a foreigner (Exd 22:25; Deu 23:19,20; Lev 25:35-38). At the end of seven years all debts were remitted. Of a foreigner the loan might, however, be exacted. At a later period of the Hebrew commonwealth, when commerce increased, the practice of exacting usury or interest on loans, and of suretiship in the commercial sense, grew up. Yet the exaction of it from a Hebrew was regarded as discreditable (Psa 15:5; Pro 6:1,4; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 27:13; Jer 15:10).

Limitations are prescribed by the law to the taking of a pledge from the borrower. The outer garment in which a man slept at night, if taken in pledge, was to be returned before sunset (Exd 22:26,27; Deu 24:12,13). A widow's garment (Deu 24:17) and a millstone (6) could not be taken. A creditor could not enter the house to reclaim a pledge, but must remain outside till the borrower brought it (10, 11). The Hebrew debtor could not be retained in bondage longer than the seventh year, or at farthest the year of jubilee (Exd 21:2; Lev 25:39,42), but foreign sojourners were to be "bondmen for ever" (Lev 25:44-54).

The Cross Pendant

He is a cross pendant.
He is engraved with a unique Number.
He will mail it out from Jerusalem.
He will be sent to your Side.
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