Corban

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Corban \Cor"ban\ (k[^o]r"b[a^]n), n. [Heb. qorb[=a]n, akin to
     Ar. qurb[=a]n.]
     1. (Jewish Antiq.) An offering of any kind, devoted to God
        and therefore not to be appropriated to any other use;
        esp., an offering in fulfillment of a vow.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: In the old Testament the hebrew word is usually
           translated "oblation" as in --Numb. xviii. 9, xxxi. 50.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The traditionists laid down that a man might interdict
           himself by vow, not only from using for himself, but
           from giving to another, or receiving from him, some
           particular object, whether of food or any other kind. A
           person might thus exempt himself from assisting parents
           in distress, under plea of corban. --Dr. W. Smith.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An alms basket; a vessel to receive gifts of charity; a
        treasury of the church, where offerings are deposited.
        [1913 Webster]

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Corban
     a Hebrew word adopted into the Greek of the New Testament and
     left untranslated. It occurs only once (Mark 7:11). It means a
     gift or offering consecrated to God. Anything over which this
     word was once pronounced was irrevocably dedicated to the
     temple. Land, however, so dedicated might be redeemed before the
     year of jubilee (Lev. 27:16-24). Our Lord condemns the Pharisees
     for their false doctrine, inasmuch as by their traditions they
     had destroyed the commandment which requires children to honour
     their father and mother, teaching them to find excuse from
     helping their parents by the device of pronouncing "Corban" over
     their goods, thus reserving them to their own selfish use.