They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.
Parallel translations
- WEB They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
- KJV They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
- BSB They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
- NKJV They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.
- NASB They divide my garments among them, And they cast lots for my clothing.
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
Enemies divide the sufferer's clothing and gamble for it, treating him as already dead. This is fulfilled at the cross.
Overview
The dividing of garments and casting of lots is one of the most striking details in this psalm, quoted by all four Gospels as fulfilled when soldiers gambled for Jesus' clothing at Golgotha (John 19:23-24). David's words, written centuries earlier, point beyond his own experience to the suffering of the Messiah. It shows the precision of God's redemptive plan and the trustworthiness of Scripture's witness to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Fulfillment
- John 19:24Then they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, “They parted my garments among them. For my cloak they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.
Cross-references · 4
- Matt 27:35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
- Luke 23:34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
- Mark 15:24Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take.
- John 19:23–24Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 22:18 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.