Jonah 1:7
in Jonah 1“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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
KJV
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
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This verse in Jonah 1
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Let us cast lots
on Jonah 1:7-9
The lot was a known way to find a hidden offender, and it falls on Jonah before any question is asked. His answer names the LORD as the God "who made the sea and the dry land," while he runs from this God across that sea.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah." LXX: 'and they said to each other: come, let us draw lots to see who it is that has brought this wickedness upon us. And they drew lots, and the lot fell to Jonah.' They knew the ways of the sea and knew the causes of the storms and winds in such weather.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Because they saw that the storm was greater than usual, they knew those things did not happen naturally; nor indeed could those who navigated at such a time neglect the causes of the winds and the waves, and therefore by means of the lots they …
And they drew lots between them, and so forth. Neither because of this example, nor because the prophet Jonah was found out by lot, are we to believe indiscriminately in lots, "since the prerogative of individuals," as Jerome says, can in no way "make a …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Cast into the sea and swallowed by a fish, ver. 11-17. Commentary on Chapter I 2. That great city - It is said to have been one hundred and fifty furlongs in length, that is eighteen miles and three quarters, and eleven miles and one quarter in breadth.
And they said everyone to his fellow,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Come, and let us cast lots - This was a very ancient mode of endeavoring to find out the mind of Divine Providence; and in this case it proves that they supposed the storm to have arisen on account of some hidden crime of some person aboard. A philosopher being at sea in a violent storm. when the crew began to call earnestly to the gods for safety, he said, “Be silent, and cease your prayers; for should the gods know that you are here, we shall all be lost.” The lot fell upon Jonah - In this case God directed the lot.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Come, and let us cast lots - Jonah too had probably prayed, and his prayers too were not heard.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| רֵעֵ֗הוּ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | |
| לְכוּ֙ | lekhu | come | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וְנַפִּ֣ילָה | venapilah | so let us cast | H5307 → | 435 times |
| גֽוֹרָל֔וֹת | goralot | lots | H1486 → | 78 times |
| וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה | venedeah | so we may know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| בְּשֶׁלְּמִ֛י | beshelemi | by which of whom? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| הָרָעָ֥ה | haraah | the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| הַזֹּ֖את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| לָ֑נוּ | lanu | [belongs] to <the> us | ||
| וַיַּפִּ֙לוּ֙ | vaiyapilu | and they cast | H5307 → | 435 times |
| גּֽוֹרָל֔וֹת | goralot | lots | H1486 → | 78 times |
| וַיִּפֹּ֥ל | vaiyipol | and it fell | H5307 → | 435 times |
| הַגּוֹרָ֖ל | hagoral | the lot | H1486 → | 78 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יוֹנָֽה׃ | yonah | Jonah | H3124 → | 19 times |
וַיֹּאמְר֞וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
אִ֣ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
רֵעֵ֗הוּneighbor his
reehuH7453 →
לְכוּ֙come
lekhuH1980 →1546 times
וְנַפִּ֣ילָהso let us cast
venapilahH5307 →435 times
גֽוֹרָל֔וֹתlots
goralotH1486 →78 times
וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔הso we may know
venedeahH3045 →945 times
בְּשֶׁלְּמִ֛יby which of whom?
beshelemiH4310 →423 times
הָרָעָ֥הthe evil
haraahH7451 →662 times
הַזֹּ֖את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
לָ֑נוּ[belongs] to <the> us
lanu
וַיַּפִּ֙לוּ֙and they cast
vaiyapiluH5307 →435 times
גּֽוֹרָל֔וֹתlots
goralotH1486 →78 times
וַיִּפֹּ֥לand it fell
vaiyipolH5307 →435 times
הַגּוֹרָ֖לthe lot
hagoralH1486 →78 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יוֹנָֽה׃Jonah
yonahH3124 →19 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 32:23But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.
it leads to
- Isaiah 59:12
For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us. Our transgressions are indeed with us, and we know our iniquities:
- Proverbs 13:21
Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.
- Genesis 44:16
“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and…
- Psalms 90:8
You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Isaiah 59:12
Through
Proverbs 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:18
Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
- Acts 1:26
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
- 1 Samuel 14:41–42
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…
- Proverbs 18:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About Jonah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts 1; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Haimo of Auxerre, Commentary (church-history corpus); Jerome, Commentary on Jonah, Chapter 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.