corban

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.
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   Note: In the old Testament the hebrew word is usually
         translated "oblation" as in --Numb. xviii. 9, xxxi. 50.
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   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.
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   2. An alms basket; a vessel to receive gifts of charity; a
      treasury of the church, where offerings are deposited.
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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.