LOTS
Were often cast by the Jews, as well as other ancient nations, with the expectation, when God was appealed to, that he would so control them as to give a right direction in doubtful cases, Psalms 22:18; Psalms 1:16; Psalms 1:18. They were often used by the divine appointment. The portions of the twelve tribes were thus assigned to them; and hence each tribe’s portion was called "the lot of its inheritance," Numbers 26:55, Numbers 1:26; Psalms 125:3; Acts 8:21. The scapegoat was to be selected, and the other of the priests’ service determined by lot, Leviticus 16:8; 1 Chronicles 24:5; 1 Chronicles 1:25. by the same means Achan, Jonathan, and Jonah were discovered, Joshua 7:14 1 Samuel 14:41, 2 John 1:7; and thus Matthias was designated by Christ to be an apostle in the place of Judas, Acts 1:26. A common mode of casting lots was by the use of pebbles, one or more of them being marked, and all of them being shaken together in some fold of a garment, an urn, or a helmet, before drawing, Proverbs 16:33; John 19:24. As the use of lots by one who believes in the particular providence of God involves a solemn appeal to the Disposer of all events, they should never be used on trivial occasions; and in this day, a case can hardly occur when such an appeal would be warranted. See Purim.