In the entire absence of commerce the law laid down no rules on the subject of suretyship; but it is evident that in the time of Solomon commercial dealings had become so multiplied that suretyship in the commercial sense was common. ( Proverbs 6:1 ; 11:15 ; 17:18 ; 20:16 ; 22:26 ; 27:13 ) But in older times the notion of one man becoming a surety for a service to be discharged by another was in full force. See ( Genesis 44:32 ) The surety of course became liable for his clients debts in case of his failure.