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
Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for Yahweh and one for Azazel.
Surely the land will be divided by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their ancestors.
So Moses commanded the {Israelites}, saying, "This [is] the land that you will obtain as an inheritance for yourself by lot, which Yahweh commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes.
Get up, sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow. Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: "[There are] devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You will be unable to stand before you enemies until you remove the devoted things from your midst." In the morning you will come forward, {tribe by tribe}, and the tribe that Yahweh will select by lot will come forward by clans, and the clan that Yahweh selects by lot will come forward by families, and the family that Yahweh selects by lot will come forward one by one. read more. The one caught with the devoted things will be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because {he transgressed the covenant} of Yahweh, and because he did a disgraceful thing in Israel." '" So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought forward Israel, {tribe by tribe}, and the tribe of Judah was selected by lot. And he brought forward the clans of Judah and selected the clan of the Zerahites by lot. Then he brought forward the clan of the Zerahites, one by one, and Zabdi was selected by lot. He brought forward his family, one by one, and Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected by lot.
After the death of Joshua, the {Israelites} inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Who will go up first for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?"
We will take ten men of one hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and one thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions to the troops, to repay [them] when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin for all the disgraceful things they did in Israel."
So Samuel brought near all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot.
Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, "{Render a decision perfectly}." Jonathan and Saul were chosen [by lot] and the people went out. Then Saul said, "Let them cast [the lot] between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was chosen.
And David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their appointments for their service.
They divided them by lot {all alike}, for they were commanders of the sanctuary and commanders of God from among the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.
These [were] their appointments for their service to come into the house of Yahweh according to their custom by the hand of Aaron their father, as Yahweh the God of Israel had commanded him.
They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
The lot will be cast into the lap, but all of its decisions are from Yahweh.
For my people they cast lots, and {they traded} the male child for the prostitute, and the female child they sold for wine and they drank [it].
On {the day you stood nearby}, {on the day strangers took} his wealth, and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots over Jerusalem, you were also like one of them.
And [when they] had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves [by] casting lots.
according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was added [to serve] 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.