he shall cast lots to determine which one is for the Lord and which for Azazel.

You shall bring to me here the description of the land in seven sections. I will then cast lots for you here before the Lord, our God.

When those who were to describe the land were ready for their journey, Joshua commanded them, “Go throughout the land and describe it; return to me and I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.”

Joshua then cast lots for them before the Lord in Shiloh, and divided up the land for the Israelites into their separate shares.

Saul then said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was designated.

They too, in the same manner as their kinsmen, the sons of Aaron, cast lots in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the priestly and levitical families; the more important family did so in the same way as the less important one.

They cast lots for their functions equally, young and old, master and pupil alike.

They cast lots for each gate, small and large families alike.

When the lot was cast for the east side, it fell to Meshelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a prudent counselor, and the north side fell to his lot.

III. Dedication of the Wall; Other Reforms

Chapter 11

Resettlement of Jerusalem. The administrators took up residence in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one man in ten to reside in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine would remain in the other cities.

The Jew Mordecai was next in rank to King Ahasuerus, in high standing among the Jews, popular with many of his kindred, seeking the good of his people and speaking out on behalf of the welfare of all its descendants.

Chapter F

Mordecai’s Dream Fulfilled. Then Mordecai said: “This is the work of God. I recall the dream I had about these very things, and not a single detail has been left unfulfilled— the tiny spring that grew into a river, and there was light, and sun, and many waters. The river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen. The two dragons are myself and Haman. The nations are those who assembled to destroy the name of the Jews, but my people is Israel, who cried to God and was saved. “The Lord saved his people and delivered us from all these evils. God worked signs and great wonders, such as have not occurred among the nations. For this purpose he arranged two lots: one for the people of God, the second for all the other nations. These two lots were fulfilled in the hour, the time, and the day of judgment before God and among all the nations. God remembered his people and rendered justice to his inheritance. “Gathering together with joy and happiness before God, they shall celebrate these days on the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month Adar throughout all future generations of his people Israel.” Colophon. In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and his son Ptolemy brought the present letter of Purim, saying that it was genuine and that Lysimachus, son of Ptolemy, of the community of Jerusalem, had translated it.

You would even cast lots for the orphan, and would barter over your friend!

they divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots.

For my people they cast lots, trading a young boy for the price of a prostitute, exchanging a young girl for the wine they drank.

On the day you stood by, the day strangers carried off his possessions, And foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you too were like one of them.

Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come to us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Yet even she became an exile, and went into captivity; Even her little ones were dashed to pieces at the corner of every street; For her nobles they cast lots, and all her great ones were put into chains.

After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots;

Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take.

[Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”] They divided his garments by casting lots.

So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled [that says]: “They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.” This is what the soldiers did.

Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.