Jonah 1:7 "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.

◄ Jonah 1:7 ►

New International Version
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Berean Standard Bible
“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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

NASB 1977
And each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then each man said to the other, “Come, let us have the lots fall so we may know on whose account this calamitous evil has struck us.” So they had the lots fall, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Amplified Bible
And they said to another, “Come, let us cast lots, so we may learn who is to blame for this disaster.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

Christian Standard Bible
“Come on! ” the sailors said to each other. “Let’s cast lots. Then we’ll know who is to blame for this trouble we’re in.” So they cast lots, and the lot singled out Jonah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Come on!” the sailors said to each other. “Let’s cast lots. Then we’ll know who is to blame for this trouble we’re in.” So they cast lots, and the lot singled out Jonah.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Finally, the sailors got together and said, "Let's ask our gods to show us who caused all this trouble." It turned out to be Jonah.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the sailors said to each other, "Let's throw dice to find out who is responsible for bringing this disaster on us." So they threw dice, and the dice indicated that Jonah was responsible.

Good News Translation
The sailors said to each other, "Let's draw lots and find out who is to blame for getting us into this danger." They did so, and Jonah's name was drawn.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, each crewman told another, "Come on! Let's cast lots to find out whose fault it is that we're in this trouble." So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah!

Majority Standard Bible
?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.

NET Bible
The sailors said to one another, "Come on, let's cast lots to find out whose fault it is that this disaster has overtaken us." So they cast lots, and Jonah was singled out.

New Heart English Bible
They all said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is on us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
They all said to each other, “Come! Let’s 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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And they each say to his neighbor, “Come, and we cast lots, and we know on whose account this evil [is] on us.” And they cast lots, and the lot falls on Jonah.

Young's Literal Translation
And they say each unto his neighbour, 'Come, and we cast lots, and we know on whose account this evil is on us.' And they cast lots, and the lot falleth on Jonah.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will say each to his neighbor, Come, and we will cast the lot, and we shall know for the retributions of this evil to us. And they will cast lots, and the lot will fall upon Jonah.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said every one to his fellow: Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know why this evil is upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And a man said to his shipmate, “Come, and let us cast lots, so that we may know why this disaster is upon us.” And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

New American Bible
Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come to us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

New Revised Standard Version
The sailors said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they said, each man to companion, ’come, we will cast lots and we will know because of whom this evil has come upon us, and they cast lots and the lot of Yonan came up

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And each man said to his neighbour, Come, let us cast lots, and find out for whose sake this mischief is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Great Storm
…6The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” 7“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. 8“Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Acts 1:26
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.

Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

John 19:24
So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it. Instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing.” So that is what the soldiers did.

Matthew 27:35
When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.

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 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. / Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

Leviticus 16:8-10
After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat, / he shall present the goat chosen by lot for the LORD and sacrifice it as a sin offering. / But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

Numbers 26:55-56
Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. / Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”

Joshua 7:14-18
In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD selects shall come forward clan by clan, and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family, and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man. / The one who is caught with the things devoted to destruction must be burned, along with all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD and committed an outrage in Israel.’” / So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. ...

1 Chronicles 24:5
Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

1 Chronicles 25:8
They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.

1 Chronicles 26:13-14
They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike. / The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.

Nehemiah 10:34
We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.

Nehemiah 11:1
Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.

Esther 3:7
In 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.

Ezekiel 21:21-22
For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver. / In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall.

Treasury of Scripture

And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is on us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

every.

Judges 7:13,14
And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along…

Isaiah 41:6,7
They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage…

and let.

Joshua 7:14-18
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man…

Judges 20:9,10
But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; …

1 Samuel 10:20,21
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken…

for.

Joshua 7:10,13
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? …

Joshua 22:16-20
Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? …

1 Samuel 14:38,39
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day…

and the.

Numbers 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Joshua 7:18
And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

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Jonah 1

1. Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish.
4. He is betrayed by a great storm;
11. thrown into the sea;
17. and swallowed by a fish.

Berean Study Bible

Come, let us cast lots
The phrase "Come, let us cast lots" reflects an ancient practice used to discern divine will or to make decisions. The Hebrew word for "lots" is "goral," which refers to small stones or pieces used in decision-making. Casting lots was a common practice in the ancient Near East, including among the Israelites, as seen in other biblical accounts (e.g., Leviticus 16:8, Joshua 18:6). It was believed that God controlled the outcome, thus revealing His will. This practice underscores the sailors' desperation and their belief in a higher power's involvement in their predicament.

that we may know
The desire "that we may know" indicates a quest for understanding and truth. The Hebrew root "yada" means to know or perceive, suggesting a deep, experiential knowledge. The sailors sought clarity and insight into the cause of their distress. This reflects a universal human desire to understand the reasons behind suffering and calamity, pointing to a recognition of moral and spiritual dimensions in life's events.

on whose account this calamity has come upon us
The phrase "on whose account this calamity has come upon us" reveals the sailors' belief in a personal cause for their misfortune. The Hebrew word for "calamity" is "ra'ah," often translated as evil or disaster. This reflects an ancient worldview where personal actions could invoke divine retribution. The sailors' inquiry suggests an understanding of justice and accountability, recognizing that their plight might be due to someone's wrongdoing.

So they cast lots
The repetition of the action "So they cast lots" emphasizes the sailors' commitment to discovering the truth. It also highlights the communal nature of their decision-making process. In the biblical context, casting lots was not seen as mere chance but as a means for God to reveal His will. This act of casting lots demonstrates their reliance on divine intervention to resolve their crisis.

and the lot fell on Jonah
The outcome "and the lot fell on Jonah" signifies divine sovereignty and intervention. The Hebrew word "naphal" means to fall or be assigned, indicating that Jonah was singled out by God's providence. This moment marks a turning point in the narrative, as Jonah's disobedience is brought to light. It serves as a reminder of God's omniscience and His ability to use even human methods to accomplish His purposes. Jonah's identification as the cause of the storm sets the stage for his eventual repentance and the unfolding of God's mercy.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Come, and let us cast lots.--We are to suppose that Jonah, coming on deck in compliance with the captain's request, adds his prayers to those of the crew. Finding all unavailing, the sailors propose recourse to the ancient custom of casting lots to discover the guilty person against whom the deities are so enraged. Classical authors as well as the Bible (comp. Joshua 7:14, seq.; 1Samuel 14:36-46) afford many illustrations of the belief that the presence of an impious man would involve all who shared his company in indiscriminate ruin. Naturally the feeling expressed itself most strongly at sea.

"Who drags Eleusis' rite to day,

That man shall never share my home

Or join my voyage; roofs give way,

And boats are wrecked; true men and thieves

Neglected Justice oft confounds."

HOR.: Od. iii. 2, 26-30. (Conington's trans.)

Comp. the story told by Cicero of Diagoras (de Nat. Deor. 3:3). 'sch. Sept. cont. Theb. 601-604. Soph. Ant. 372. . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7 - Finding the storm still violent, the crew come to the conclusion that it is sent by Heaven in punishment of some crime committed by one on board; and they proceed to cast lots to discover the guilty person. Jonah doubtless had meantime complied with the captain's request, but, as the sailors saw, without visible effect. The belief that temporal calamities are often connected with the presence of culprits, and are sent in judgment, is found in classical authors. Thus Plautus, 'Rudena,' 2:21 -

"Pol minume miror, navis si fracta est tibi,
Scelus te et sceleste parta quae vexit bona."

"Little I wonder if the ship is wrecked
Which carries thee and thy ill-gotten wealth." (Comp. AEschylus, 'Electr.,' 1354; 'Theb.,' 598; Horat., 'Carm.,' 3:2, 26, etc.) The misfortune of the Israelites at Ai was consequent on the sin of Achan (Joshua 7.). Let us cast lots. (On the Christian view of "lots," see Dr. Pusey's Commentary, pp. 270, 271.) Jerome says here, "The fugitive was taken by lot, not by virtue of the lots, especially of the lots of heathen men, but by the will of him who guided the uncertain lots." For whose cause; Septuagint, τίνος ἕνεκεν. The unusual nature of the tempest showed them that it was sent in judgment. Commentators cite the story of Diagoras told by Cicero ('De Nat. Deor.,' 3:37). The lot fell upon Jonah. Proverbs 16:33, "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord" (comp. 1 Samuel 10:20, etc.; 1 Samuel 14:41; Acts 1:26).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“Come!”
לְכוּ֙ (lə·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

said the sailors
וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

one another.
רֵעֵ֗הוּ (rê·‘ê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

“Let us cast
וְנַפִּ֣ילָה (wə·nap·pî·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

lots
גֽוֹרָל֔וֹת (ḡō·w·rā·lō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting)

to find out
וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה (wə·nê·ḏə·‘āh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 3045: To know

who is responsible
בְּשֶׁלְּמִ֛י (bə·šel·lə·mî)
Preposition-b, Pr | Interrogative
Strong's 7945: On account of, whatsoever, whichsoever

for this
הַזֹּ֖את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

calamity
הָרָעָ֥ה (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

that is upon us.”
לָ֑נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

So they cast
וַיַּפִּ֙לוּ֙ (way·yap·pi·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

lots,
גּֽוֹרָל֔וֹת (gō·w·rā·lō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting)

and the lot
הַגּוֹרָ֖ל (hag·gō·w·rāl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting)

fell
וַיִּפֹּ֥ל (way·yip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Jonah.
יוֹנָֽה׃ (yō·w·nāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3124: Jonah -- an Israelite prophet

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OT Prophets: Jonah 1:7 They all said to each other Come (Jon. Jh)