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 cast lots over the two goats: one lot for the LORD, and another for a scapegoat.
Notwithstanding, the land shall be divided by lot; and according to the names of the tribes of their fathers, they shall inherit:
And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, "This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, and which the LORD commanded to give unto nine tribes and a half:
Up, and sanctify the people and bid them to sanctify themselves against the morrow: for so sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'The excommunication is among you Israel, and therefore ye cannot stand before your enemies, until ye have put the excommunication from among you. Tomorrow morning ye shall come by your tribes. And the tribe which the LORD shall find guilty, shall come by kindreds. And the kindred which the LORD shall find guilty, shall come by households. And the household which the LORD shall find faulty, shall come man by man. read more. And he that is found in the excommunication shall be burnt with fire, both he and all that pertaineth unto him, because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.'" And so Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes: and the tribe of Judah was caught. Then he brought the kindreds of Judah, and found the kindred of the Zerahites guilty. And he brought the kindred of the Zerahites by householders, and Zabdi was caught. And he brought his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah in the tribe of Judah was caught.
After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, "Who shall go up first unto the Cananites to fight against them?"
And we will take ten men of the hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of the thousand, and a thousand out of the ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people to make that they may go against Gibeah Benjamin, according to all the folly, that they have wrought in Israel."
And when Samuel had brought all the tribes of Israel the tribe of Benjamin was caught.
And Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, "Give perfect knowledge." And Saul and Jonathan were caught, and the people escaped free. Then said Saul, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was caught.
And David ordered them on this manner: Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar to be in office by course.
And they put them in order by lot, one with another that there should be rulers in the sanctuary and lords before God as well of the sons of Ithamar as of the sons of Eleazar.
This is the order of them in their offices, to come into the house of the LORD according to their manner under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
The lots are cast into the lap, but their fall standeth in the LORD.
Yea, they have cast lots for my people, the young men have they set in the brothel house, and sold the damsels for wine, that they might have to drink.
and that because of the time when thou didst set thyself against him; even when the enemies carried away his host, and when the aliens came in at his ports, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, and thou thyself wast as one of them.
When they had crucified him, they parted his garments, and did cast lots. To fulfill that was spoken by the prophet, "They divided my garments among them: and upon my vesture did cast lots."
according to the custom of the priest's office his lot was to burn incense. And he went into the temple of the Lord,
And they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell on Mathias. And he was counted 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.