Bible Strands
Judges 20:9
Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will go against it as the lot dictates.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelite military leadership addresses the assembled congregation after they have collectively pledged to remain encamped rather than return to their individual homes. This declaration occurs at the moment the army is preparing to march against Gibeah in Benjamin to execute judgment.
The words — בְּגוֹרָל (bə·ḡō·rāl) translates literally as "by lot." It is paired with נַעֲשֶׂה (na·'ā·śeh), "we will do," marking a formal commitment to let the casting of lots determine their tactical advance.
The thread — This procedural reliance on lots appears in Joshua 14:2 for assigning tribal inheritance, 1 Samuel 14:41 when Saul seeks divine direction, and 1 Chronicles 24:5 for organizing sanctuary officers.
Why it lands — The text records a collective military decision explicitly deferred to a randomizing mechanism rather than human strategy. It asks the reader to observe how communal obedience is structured through submitted procedure instead of autonomous planning.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;
Cross-references
- Joshua 14:2 Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
- 1 Samuel 14:41 So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.
- 1 Chronicles 24:5 Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.
- Nehemiah 11:1 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.
- Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
- Jonah 1:7 “Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- Acts 1:26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.