H6162 H6162
pledge, security deposit given as guarantee
This term describes a pledge or security deposit given to guarantee a promise. It appears exclusively in Genesis 38, where Judah promises Tamar a goat but lacks it at the moment. She requests his seal, cord, and staff as collateral—an 'erabōn until he sends payment. The word entered Greek as 'arrabōn,' used in the New Testament for the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of future inheritance (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14). The narrative shows both giving and receiving back the pledge once the obligation is fulfilled.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A pledge or security item given as guarantee until a promised payment is delivered. In Genesis 38:17, Judah agrees to give Tamar 'a pledge' (עֵרָבוֹן) until he sends the promised goat. Verse 18 specifies the items—seal, cord, staff—and verse 20 mentions Judah's attempt to 'receive back the pledge' when sending payment. The term implies temporary transfer of valuable items as surety. Cross-linguistic evidence shows 'pledge' (English), 'prenda' (Spanish), 'gage' (French), 'Pfand' (German)—all indicating collateral or security deposit. 3×
AR["الْ-رَّهْنَ", "الْ-رَّهْنُ", "رَهْنًا"]·ben["-জামানত", "জামানত"]·DE["das-Pfand", "ein-Pfand"]·EN["a-pledge", "the-pledge"]·FR["le-gage", "un-gage"]·heb["ה-ערבון", "ערבון"]·HI["बंधक"]·ID["jaminan"]·IT["il-pledge", "un-pledge"]·jav["tanggelan", "tanggelan-punika"]·KO["담보를"]·PT["o-penhor", "penhor"]·RU["залог"]·ES["la-prenda", "prenda"]·SW["amana"]·TR["-rehin", "-rehini", "rehin"]·urd["گروی", "گروی-یہ"]
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
† עֵרָבוֹן n.[m.] pledge;—נָתַן ע׳ give a pledge Gn 38:17, 18, לָקַח ע׳ v 20 (all J), receive (back) a pledge (when condition is fulfilled).—Jb 17:3 read perhaps עֶרְבֹנִי (for MT עָרְבֵנִי), as obj. of שִׂימָה set my pledge (a surety for me), so Beer Bu al.