H2254a H2254a
chabal -- to take in pledge or seize as collateral; the act of holding a debtor's property as security
The verb chabal (I) means to take in pledge or seize as security for a debt, describing the creditor's act of claiming a debtor's property as collateral. The Torah regulates this practice carefully: a millstone essential for grinding grain must not be taken in pledge (Deut 24:6), and a poor man's cloak taken as security must be returned before nightfall (Exod 22:26; Deut 24:17). The prophets condemn its abuse: Amos denounces those who recline on garments taken in pledge beside the altar (Amos 2:8), Ezekiel commends the righteous who restore pledges (Ezek 18:16), and Job laments those who strip the naked of their garments (Job 22:6; 24:3, 9). The word illuminates the intersection of ancient Israelite debt law with prophetic ethics.
Senses
1. to take in pledge, hold as security — To take or hold property as a pledge or security for a debt -- the creditor's act of seizing collateral from a borrower. Torah legislation restricts the practice (Exod 22:26, return of cloaks; Deut 24:6, prohibition on millstones; Deut 24:17, protection of widows), while prophetic texts condemn its abuse (Amos 2:8; Job 22:6; 24:3, 9) and commend its righteous use (Ezek 18:16). Wisdom literature echoes the warning (Prov 20:16; 27:13). Cross-lingual renderings confirm a unified semantic core: Spanish empenar, French prendre-comme-gage, German verpfanden. 12×
AR["ارْهَنْهُ", "اِرْتَهِنْهُ", "تَرهَنُ", "تَرْتَهِنُ", "تَرْهَنْ", "رَهناً", "مَرْهونَةٍ", "يَأْخُذُونَ", "يَرْتَهِنُونَ", "يَرْهَنُ", "يَرْهَنْ"]·ben["তারা-বন্ধক-নেয়", "তুমি-বন্ধক-নিয়েছ", "বন্ধক-রাখ-তাকে", "বন্ধক-রাখবে", "বন্ধক-রাখে", "বন্ধক-রাখো", "বন্ধক-রূপে-রাখবে", "বন্ধক-রূপে-রাখে-বন্ধক-রূপে-রাখবে", "বন্ধকী-রাখা"]·DE["[חבל]", "[חבלהו]", "[חבלים]", "[יחבלו]", "[תחבל]", "du-nehmen-wie-pledge", "du-soll-nehmen-wie-Pfand", "nehmend-wie-pledge", "nimmt-wie-Pfand", "soll-nehmen-wie-Pfand"]·EN["does-he-take", "hold-him-in-pledge", "hold-in-pledge", "shall-take-as-pledge", "taken-in-pledge", "takes-as-pledge", "taking-as-pledge", "they-take-as-pledge", "they-take-pledge", "you-shall-take-as-pledge", "you-take-as-pledge", "you-take-pledge"]·FR["devra-prendre-comme-pledge", "prenant-comme-gage", "prend-comme-pledge", "traiter-violemment", "tu-devra-prendre-comme-pledge", "tu-prendre-comme-gage", "חבלהו-lui", "יחבלו", "תחבל"]·heb["חבוּלים", "חבול", "חבל", "חבלהו", "חובל", "יחבול", "יחבלו", "תחבול"]·HI["गिरवी-रखता-है", "गिरवी-रखना", "गिरवी-रखेगा", "गिरवी-रखो", "तूने-बंधक-लिया", "बंधक-रख-उसे", "बंधक-लिए", "बन्धक-रख-उसे।", "लेता-है", "वे-बंधक-लेते-हैं"]·ID["boleh-menggadaikan", "engkau menggadaikan", "engkau-mengambil-gadai", "gadaikanlah-dia", "ia-menahan", "mengambil-sebagai-jaminan", "menggadaikan", "mereka-mengambil-gadai", "yang-digadaikan"]·IT["[חבל]", "[חבלים]", "dovra-prendere-come-pledge", "essi-prendere-as-pledge", "essi-prendere-pledge", "hold-in-pledge-suo", "hold-lui-in-pledge-suo", "prende-come-pledge", "prendendo-come-pledge", "tu-dovra-prendere-come-pledge", "tu-prendere-come-pledge", "voi-prendere-pledge"]·jav["dipungadhe", "kang-dipun-gadhe", "mendhet-gadhe", "nahan", "njamin", "panjenengan-nampi-gadé", "panjenengan-njamin", "piyambakipun-nggadhahaken", "piyambakipun-nyepeng-gadé"]·KO["그를-담보로-잡아라", "네가-잡으면", "잡고", "잡는-것이다", "잡았다", "잡으라-담보로-그를", "잡으리라", "저당-잡나니", "저당-잡았나니", "저당-잡힌"]·PT["o-penhor", "penhora-o", "penhorar", "penhorares", "penhoravas", "reteve", "toma-em-penhor", "tomadas-em-penhor", "tomam-como-penhor", "tomam-penhor.", "tomará-em-penhor", "tomarás-em-penhor"]·RU["бери-в-залог", "берут-в-залог", "берут-залог", "берёт-в-залог", "брал-залогом", "возьми-залог-его", "возьми-залог-с-него", "возьмёшь-в-залог", "забирал", "залогом", "заложенных"]·ES["empeñar", "empeñas", "toma-en-prenda", "tomabas-en-prenda", "tomadas-en-prenda", "toman-en-prenda", "toman-prenda.", "tomará-en-prenda", "tomarás-en-prenda", "tomó-en-prenda", "tómalo-en-prenda"]·SW["anachukua-kama-rehani", "atachukua-kama-rehani", "chukua", "kuchukua-rehani", "mshike-kama-rehani", "mshike-rehani", "ulichukua-rehani", "utachukua-kama-rehani", "utachukua-rehani", "wanachukua-rehani", "yaliyochukuliwa-rehani"]·TR["rehin-al-onu", "rehin-alacaksın", "rehin-alan", "rehin-almakla", "rehin-alınmış", "rehin-alırlar", "rehin-alırsa", "rehin-alırsan", "rehin-alırsın"]·urd["تُو نے گروی رکھا", "رکھتا", "گروی رکھتے ہیں", "گروی-رکھ", "گروی-رکھ-اُسے", "گروی-رکھ-لے-اُس-سے", "گروی-رکھنا", "گروی-رکھو", "گروی-رکھے", "گروی-رکھے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [חָבַל] vb. bind, pledge (Arabic حَبَلَ bind; cf. Aramaic ܚܒܰܠ, ܚܰܒܶܠ travail; חֲבַל pledge (but rare and dub.); especially ܚܰܒܠܴܐ cord, field, חַבְלָא cord, ܚܶܒܠܴܐ, חֶבְלָא pain, especially of travail; Sab. חבל border-territory, or field, Sab, Denkm 48.49; Ethiopic ጠበለ ZimBP 93 n., comp. Assyrian naḫbalu, rope, snare)— Qal Pf. חָבָ֑ל Ez 18:16 Impf. יַחֲבֹל Dt 24:6; 2 ms. תַּחֲבֹל Dt 24:17;…