100 Bible Verses about Casting Lots

Proverbs 16:33 ESV / 1,833 helpful votes

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Acts 1:26 ESV / 1,831 helpful votes

And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Proverbs 18:18 ESV / 1,548 helpful votes

The lot puts an end to quarrels and decides between powerful contenders.

Matthew 27:35 ESV / 1,422 helpful votes

And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

Psalm 22:18 ESV / 1,397 helpful votes

They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Jonah 1:7 ESV / 1,262 helpful votes

And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Leviticus 16:8 ESV / 1,239 helpful votes

And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.

Mark 15:24 ESV / 1,153 helpful votes

And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.

Esther 3:7 ESV / 1,002 helpful votes

In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

Leviticus 16:8-10 ESV / 905 helpful votes

And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

Joshua 18:10 ESV / 881 helpful votes

And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.

Luke 1:9 ESV / 832 helpful votes

According to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

Numbers 26:55 ESV / 782 helpful votes

But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

John 19:24 ESV / 771 helpful votes

So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,

Luke 23:34 ESV / 719 helpful votes

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

1 Samuel 14:42 ESV / 691 helpful votes

Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.

Nehemiah 10:34 ESV / 671 helpful votes

We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

1 Chronicles 24:5 ESV / 666 helpful votes

They divided them by lot, all alike, for there were sacred officers and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.

John 19:23-24 ESV / 612 helpful votes

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,

Joel 3:3 ESV / 575 helpful votes

And have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

1 Chronicles 26:13 ESV / 558 helpful votes

And they cast lots by fathers' houses, small and great alike, for their gates.

Joshua 18:6 ESV / 548 helpful votes

And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.

Nehemiah 11:1 ESV / 543 helpful votes

Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns.

1 Chronicles 25:8 ESV / 512 helpful votes

And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

1 Chronicles 24:31 ESV / 506 helpful votes

These also, the head of each father's house and his younger brother alike, cast lots, just as their brothers the sons of Aaron, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of fathers' houses of the priests and of the Levites.

Numbers 34:13 ESV / 506 helpful votes

Moses commanded the people of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe.

Numbers 33:54 ESV / 495 helpful votes

You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit.

1 Chronicles 26:13-14 ESV / 475 helpful votes

And they cast lots by fathers' houses, small and great alike, for their gates. The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, and his lot came out for the north.

Acts 1:21-26 ESV / 451 helpful votes

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ...

1 Samuel 14:41-42 ESV / 437 helpful votes

Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.

Joshua 14:2 ESV / 433 helpful votes

Their inheritance was by lot, just as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes.

1 Samuel 10:20-21 ESV / 429 helpful votes

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.

Micah 2:5 ESV / 424 helpful votes

Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 6:65 ESV / 415 helpful votes

They gave by lot out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin these cities that are mentioned by name.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 413 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

1 Peter 5:7 ESV / 403 helpful votes

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Esther 9:24 ESV / 393 helpful votes

For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them.

Joshua 7:14 ESV / 356 helpful votes

In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man.

Joshua 7:14-18 ESV / 337 helpful votes

In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’” So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

Proverbs 16:32 ESV / 299 helpful votes

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Judges 20:9 ESV / 298 helpful votes

But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot,

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / 281 helpful votes

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Acts 1:1-26 ESV / 279 helpful votes

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ...

Proverbs 13:11 ESV / 275 helpful votes

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

1 Samuel 14:41 ESV / 272 helpful votes

Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

Ezekiel 21:21 ESV / 256 helpful votes

For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shakes the arrows; he consults the teraphim; he looks at the liver.

1 Chronicles 26:14 ESV / 250 helpful votes

The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, and his lot came out for the north.

Luke 9:49 ESV / 233 helpful votes

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.”

Numbers 36:2 ESV / 229 helpful votes

They said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the people of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.

Joshua 18:8-10 ESV / 226 helpful votes

So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh, and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.

Luke 21:2 ESV / 225 helpful votes

And he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

Romans 11:15 ESV / 222 helpful votes

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Luke 21:1 ESV / 222 helpful votes

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box,

Mark 10:50 ESV / 222 helpful votes

And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

Nahum 3:10 ESV / 221 helpful votes

Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity; her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains.

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / 219 helpful votes

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Acts 1:23-26 ESV / 218 helpful votes

And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Joshua 19:51 ESV / 203 helpful votes

These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

Acts 17:10-11 ESV / 199 helpful votes

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 198 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Luke 16:19-31 ESV / 198 helpful votes

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ...

Ezekiel 45:1 ESV / 197 helpful votes

“When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent.

Isaiah 34:17 ESV / 197 helpful votes

He has cast the lot for them; his hand has portioned it out to them with the line; they shall possess it forever; from generation to generation they shall dwell in it.

1 Chronicles 6:61 ESV / 197 helpful votes

To the rest of the Kohathites were given by lot out of the clan of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities.

Leviticus 16:1-10 ESV / 194 helpful votes

The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. ...

Proverbs 18:17 ESV / 190 helpful votes

The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

Acts 13:19 ESV / 187 helpful votes

And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV / 187 helpful votes

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Leviticus 16:10 ESV / 187 helpful votes

But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

Obadiah 1:11 ESV / 184 helpful votes

On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.

Joshua 18:6-10 ESV / 182 helpful votes

And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.” So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh, and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 175 helpful votes

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...

John 3:16 ESV / 168 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 Chronicles 25:8-9 ESV / 167 helpful votes

And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike. The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, to him and his brothers and his sons, twelve;

Joshua 14:1-21:45 ESV / 158 helpful votes

These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel gave them to inherit. Their inheritance was by lot, just as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes. For Moses had given an inheritance to the two and one-half tribes beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance. The people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses; they allotted the land. ...

Luke 1:37 ESV / 156 helpful votes

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Matthew 22:39 ESV / 156 helpful votes

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Romans 1:16 ESV / 154 helpful votes

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Joshua 18:8 ESV / 146 helpful votes

So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.”

Joel 3:2-3 ESV / 138 helpful votes

I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

Acts 2:1-47 ESV / 137 helpful votes

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ...

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 128 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ...

1 Chronicles 24:5-19 ESV / 128 helpful votes

They divided them by lot, all alike, for there were sacred officers and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar. And the scribe Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king and the princes and Zadok the priest and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar and the heads of the fathers' houses of the priests and of the Levites, one father's house being chosen for Eleazar and one chosen for Ithamar. The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, ...

1 Peter 5:3 ESV / 126 helpful votes

Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Romans 6:23 ESV / 125 helpful votes

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV / 118 helpful votes

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Numbers 26:55-56 ESV / 116 helpful votes

But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

Hebrews 13:5 ESV / 105 helpful votes

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Samuel 28:6 ESV / 94 helpful votes

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

Matthew 24:1-51 ESV / 93 helpful votes

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ...

Matthew 6:24 ESV / 87 helpful votes

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Acts 12:4 ESV / 81 helpful votes

And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

Exodus 28:30 ESV / 66 helpful votes

And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.

Joshua 18:2 ESV / 63 helpful votes

There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.

Matthew 27:46 ESV / 61 helpful votes

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Proverbs 16:1 ESV / 59 helpful votes

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Acts 1:8 ESV / 58 helpful votes

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

John 19:23 ESV / 58 helpful votes

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,

Numbers 27:21 ESV / 58 helpful votes

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.”

Nehemiah 7:65 ESV / 57 helpful votes

The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

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