“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.
Parallel translations
- WEB They all said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on 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.
- NKJV And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- NASB And each man said to his mate, “Come, let’s cast lots so that we may find out on whose account this catastrophe has struck us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- NLT Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The sailors cast lots to find who caused the storm, and the lot falls on Jonah. It matters because God sovereignly exposes the guilty party even through the sailors' custom.
Overview
Casting lots was a common ancient means of seeking a divine verdict, and Scripture affirms that its outcome is from the Lord (Proverbs 16:33). God uses even pagan practice to single out His disobedient servant, leaving Jonah nowhere to hide. The scene shows that sin cannot stay concealed before the God who governs every detail of providence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Prov 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
- Josh 7:13–18Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
- Acts 13:19And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.
- 1 Sam 10:20–21Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.
- Josh 7:10But the LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face?
- Num 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.
- 1 Sam 14:41–42So 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.
- Matt 27:35When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- Isa 41:6–7Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
- Ps 22:18They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
- Josh 22:16–20“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?
- Judg 7:13–14And as Gideon arrived, a man was telling his friend about a dream. “Behold, I had a dream,” he said, “and I saw a loaf of barley bread come tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent so hard that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
- Job 10:2I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.
- Acts 1:23–26So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
- Judg 20:9–10Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will go against it as the lot dictates.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore 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 will receive his praise from God.
- 1 Sam 14:38–39Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.
- Esth 3:7In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
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Christ at the center
Three days in the belly of the fish is the sign Jesus gave of his own death and resurrection (Matt 12:40); and God's mercy on pagan Nineveh foreshadows the gospel going to the nations.
How Jonah 1:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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