Jastrow: עֵרָבוֹן

עֵרָבוֹן, עֵי׳ m. (b. h.; עָרַב I) 1) pledge, earnest-money. B. Mets. 48ᵇ הנותן ע׳ … עֵרְבוֹנִי מחול לך והלה … אכפול לך עֵרְבוֹנְךָ if a man gives an earnest to his neighbor and says, if I retract, my earnest shall be forfeit to thee; and the neighbor says, if I retract, I shall double thy earnest to thee; Tosef. ib. I, 17, sq. Esth. R. to III, 10 מנהגו של עולם דרכו של לוקח ליתן ע׳ וכ׳ ordinarily it is the purchaser that gives an earnest to the seller, but here the seller (Ahasuerus) gives a pledge (his ring); Ruth R. to IV, 8. Pes. 118ᵇ (ref. to Jud. V, 21) אמר הקב"ה … צא והשלם ערבונך the Lord said to the brook Kishon, go and surrender thy pledge (Sisera’s men bathing in the brook). Ab. III, 16 הכל נתון בע׳ every thing is given against a pledge, i.e. life and possession are a loan for which you are pledged to the Lord; a. fr. —2) going security.—Pl. עֵרְבוֹנוֹת. Yeb. 109ᵃ ויתרחק … ומן הע׳ (Rashi ערבון) and should keep aloof from cases of protest (v. מִיאוּן), from trusts, and from going security (Gen. R. s. 93, beg. מלעשות ערבות וכ׳).