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.
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.
- BSB “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.
- 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.
- 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 Yahweh.
- Josh 7:13–18“Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.”
- Acts 13:19When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years.
- 1 Sam 10:20–21So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
- Josh 7:10Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?
- Num 32:23“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out.
- 1 Sam 14:41–42Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.
- Matt 27:35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
- Isa 41:6–7Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”
- Ps 22:18They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
- Josh 22:16–20“Thus says the whole congregation of Yahweh, ‘What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away today from following Yahweh, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel today against Yahweh?
- Judg 7:13–14When Gideon had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. He said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream; and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”
- Job 10:2I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.
- Acts 1:23–26They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
- Judg 20:9–10But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
- 1 Sam 14:38–39Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been today.
- Esth 3:7In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month 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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