Bible Strands
Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The author of Proverbs addresses Israel, closing a unit on moral discipline by contrasting personal self-control with military conquest. The verse follows a direct observation on the limits of human strategy.
The words — The Hebrew גּוֹרָל (go.Ral) denotes the physical lot used for casting, while מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pa.T) refers to its binding decision or verdict.
The thread — Casting lots appears in Proverbs 18:18 to end quarrels, Jonah 1:7 to identify a culprit, and Acts 1:26 to choose a replacement apostle.
Why it lands — The text states that every outcome of a cast lot originates from Yahweh, requiring the reader to recognize divine sovereignty over uncertain human procedures.
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
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 18:18 Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
- 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.
- 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.
- Proverbs 29:26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.
- Numbers 26:55 Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
- Joshua 7:14 In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD selects shall come forward clan by clan, and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family, and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man.
- Joshua 18:5 and divide the land into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north.
- 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.
- Joshua 18:10 And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.