a.rub.bah denotes a pledge or surety-related commitment, whether received or made before another person.

The two verses show a.rub.bah in pledge-related situations: a pledge to be taken in connection with the brothers' welfare and a pledge made through hand-striking before a neighbor.

1. Pledge or surety commitment · dominant

   In 1 Samuel 17:18, the construct singular form occurs in the instruction to check on the brothers' welfare and take their pledge; the APB renders the clause "and take their pledge." In Proverbs 17:18, the absolute singular form occurs where a man strikes hands in pledge before his neighbor; the APB presents this as becoming surety in that setting.

   1 Samuel 17:18Proverbs 17:18

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB explicitly uses "pledge" in both verses, while Proverbs 17:18 also describes the resulting situation as becoming "surety." This wording confirms the pledge-related setting without isolating every English expression to the term.