Reference: Lot (2)
Fausets
Early used to decide an issue; so in choosing each of the two goats on the day of atonement (two inscribed tablets of boxwood were the lots used according to Joma 3:9 (?)), Le 16:8, and in assigning the inheritances in Canaan (Nu 26:55; 34:13), in selecting men for an expedition (Jg 1:1; 20:10), in electing a king (1Sa 10:20), in detecting the guilty (1Sa 14:41-42), in selecting an apostle (Ac 1:26), as formerly priests' offices among the 16 of Eleazar's family and the eight of Ithamar (1Ch 24:3,5,19; Lu 1:9), in apportioning spoil (Ob 1:11; Joe 3:3), in dividing Jesus' garments (Mt 27:35; Ps 22:18). In Pr 16:33, "the lot is cast into the lap," i.e. into an urn or cap in the judge's lap; "but the whole disposing (Hebrew:judgment) thereof is of the Lord." Only in weighty cases resort was had to judgment by lot; it was entered on with solemnity, as God is arbiter. Sanctification of the people preceded in Jos 7:13-18.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, - one lot for Yahweh, and one lot for Azazel.
Nevertheless by lot, shall the land be apportioned, - by the names of the tribes of their fathers, shall they inherit.
And Moses commanded the sons of Israel saying, - This, is the land, which ye shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh had commanded to be given to the nine tribes and the half tribe.
Up! hallow the people, and thou shalt say, Hallow yourselves by to-morrow, - for, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel: A devoted thing, is in the midst of thee O Israel, Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye have put away the devoted thing out of your midst. Therefore shall ye be brought near in the morning by your tribes, - and it shall be that - the tribe which Yahweh shall seize, shall come near, by families, and the family which Yahweh shall seize, shall come near, by households, and the household which Yahweh shall seize, shall come near, man by man; read more. and it shall be, that - He that is seized with the devoted thing, shall be burned with fire, he and all that he hath, - because he hath transgressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he hath wrought impiety in Israel. So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes, - and, the tribe of Judah, was seized; and he brought near the family of Judah, and, the family of the Zarhites, was seized, - and he brought near the family of the Zarhites, man by man, and, Zabdi, was seized; and he brought near his household, man by man, - and, Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was seized.
And it came to pass, after the death of Jeshua, that the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, - Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites, first, to make war upon them?
and we will take ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch provisions for the people, - that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the impiety that it hath wrought in Israel.
And, when Samuel had brought near all the tribes of Israel, then was taken the tribe of Benjamin.
And Saul said unto Yahweh - O God of Israel! now set forth the truth. Then were, Jonathan and Saul, taken, and, the people, escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. Then was, Jonathan, taken.
and David apportioned to them courses, both to Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and to Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, - by their appointed place in their service.
They divided them, therefore, by casting lots, these with those, - for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, from among the sons of Eleazar, and among the sons of Ithamar.
These, were their appointed places for their service, for entering the house of Yahweh, according to the regulation of them, by the hand of Aaron their father, - just as Yahweh God of Israel, commanded him.
They part my garments among them, and, for my vestment, they cast lots.
Into the lap, is cast the lot, but, from Yahweh, is its every decision.
And, for my people, they cast lots, - and gave a boy for a harlot, and a girl sold they for wine - and drank.
In the day when thou didst take thy stand over against him, in the day when foreigners took captive his forces, - and, aliens, entered his gates, and, over Jerusalem, cast lots, even thou, wast like one of them!
And, having crucified him, they parted among themselves his garments, casting a cloth;
according to the custom of his priesthood, it fell to his lot to offer incense, entering into the Temple of the Lord;
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Smith
(literally a pebble). The custom of deciding doubtful questions by lot is one of great extent and high antiquity. Among the Jews lots were used with the expectation that God would so control them as to give a right direction to them. They were very often used by God's appointment. "As to the mode of casting lots, we have no certain information. Probably several modes were practiced." "Very commonly among the Latins little counters of wood were put into a jar with so narrow a neck that only one could come out at a time. After the jar had been filled with water and the contents shaken, the lots were determined by the order in which the bits of wood, representing the several parties, came out with the water. in other cases they were put into a wide open jar, and the counters were drawn out by the hand. Sometimes again they were cast in the manner of dice. The soldiers who cast lots for Christ's garments undoubtedly used these dice." --Lyman Abbott.