Casting lots in the Bible

[FrostyKnuckles]

Greetings brothers and sisters

As many of you probably already know, the Bible talks about 'casting lots' and in this thread I would like to ask:

HOW did they 'cast lots' in the Bible? How was it done in Biblical times, and was it our equivelant to flipping a coin?

Numbers 26:55
"But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

Acts 1:26
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Thats only a few mentions. Its mentioned quite a bit actually, anyone got any idea? Do we got any Jewish people here who know what this means, specifically?

 

[JohnDB]

We aren't sure exactly...
Some kind of "spin the bottle".

Before then it was done with a breastplate of the Priests and some kind of chains and a ring. "Yes or No" answers would be the result. The priest's breastplate AKA "Ephod".

 

[Nathan12]

HOW did they 'cast lots' in the Bible? How was it done in Biblical times, and was it our equivelant to flipping a coin?

According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon they used either a pebble, a potsherd, or a bit of wood, inscribed with the name of the person to whom it was assigned.

 

[for_his_glory]

Lots could be small round stones, sticks, dice or whatever they chose to use that had symbols on them. Scripture is silent on what they actually used.

 

[stovebolts]

We aren't sure exactly...
Some kind of "spin the bottle".

Before then it was done with a breastplate of the Priests and some kind of chains and a ring. "Yes or No" answers would be the result. The priest's breastplate AKA "Ephod".

It's been years since ive studied this, but I recall in my Exodus commentary from Ramban that the Ephod played a role in the lots when the priest was looking for an answer from God.

Jews looked for signs from God while gentiles like us look for knowledge. But why do they look for signs and wonders?

I would suggest that God revealed himself through great signs and wonders and we have to look no further than the Exodus event to see this. God sets sign and wonder one after another from the rainbow(Noah), turning the Nile red to parting the Red Sea to even giving Joshua a sign in battle etc, etc, etc. And the lot system was no different than a wet fleece. It was a divine way of affirming the direction God desired.

 

[for_his_glory]

It's been years since ive studied this, but I recall in my Exodus commentary from Ramban that the Ephod played a role in the lots when the priest was looking for an answer from God.

Jews looked for signs from God while gentiles like us look for knowledge. But why do they look for signs and wonders?

I would suggest that God revealed himself through great signs and wonders and we have to look no further than the Exodus event to see this. God sets sign and wonder one after another from the rainbow(Noah), turning the Nile red to parting the Red Sea to even giving Joshua a sign in battle etc, etc, etc. And the lot system was no different than a wet fleece. It was a divine way of affirming the direction God desired.

The Ephod was worn by the Priest and the Urim and Thummin, possibly stones with symbols on them were used for divination or casting of lots to make important decisions before God, Exodus 28:30.

 

[stovebolts]

The Ephod was worn by the Priest and the Urim and Thummin, possibly stones with symbols on them were used for divination or casting of lots to make important decisions before God, Exodus 28:30.

Ahhh, yes! Now it's slowly coming back to me. Ramban wrote extensively on them, I believe they were kept under the breastplate near the heart, but it's been so many years I could be wrong... I'll have to look his commentary back up. This is where its nice using Jewish commentary. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with them, but they hold history on how they did things and the spiritual implications associated with them.
This is when its good to understand that the Spiritual and Physical were not to be separated. This is why the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, including the Ephod, Urim and Thurim were copies of heavenly things.