Pledge

(Ezek. 33:15) — anything given as security for a condition or contract. In the legislation of the Jews were contained many wise and useful provisions concerning the giving and terms of pledges. Thus, for example, it is said in the book of Exodus: “If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down” (22:26), since the outer garment formed the customary covering of the inhabitants of the East. “When thou dost lend thy brother any thing,” it is said in the book of Deuteronomy, “thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.

Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee” (24:10, 11). One was never to take the upper or the lower millstone in pledge, for, it is further explained, “he taketh a man’s life to pledge” (24:6). Every kind of oppression with regard to pledges was strongly condemned (Job 22:6; 24:3, 7). A Jew who was forced to give his own garments in pledge for a loan of money, and who then saw them worn by pagans as they reclined at every altar, was deeply disturbed and offended by this sight (Amos 2:8).