Jonah 1:7 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.

Jonah 1:7 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.

Jonah 1:7 niv

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.

Jonah 1:7 esv

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.

Jonah 1:7 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.

Jonah 1 verses

Jonah 1 7 Meaning

Jonah 1:7 describes the ship crew's communal decision to cast lots to identify the individual responsible for the terrifying storm engulfing them. Their belief system led them to conclude that the calamitous event was divine punishment for someone's specific sin or offense. Through this ancient method of discerning supernatural will, the lot supernaturally and unequivocally designated Jonah as the culprit, directly exposing him as the cause of their dire situation. This act highlights both the pagan sailors' understanding of divine wrath and the sovereign hand of the God of Israel working even through their superstitious practices to reveal truth and expose His disobedient prophet.

Jonah 1 7 Context

Jonah 1:7 is situated at the climax of the ship's desperate attempts to survive a divinely sent storm. Prior to this verse, Jonah had paid passage and boarded a ship to Tarshish, explicitly fleeing the Lord's command to preach in Nineveh (Jon 1:1-3). As a consequence, the Lord "hurled a great wind" upon the sea, causing a mighty tempest that threatened to break the ship apart (Jon 1:4). The pagan sailors, in stark contrast to the sleeping Jonah, desperately worked to save their lives and cargo. They threw cargo overboard and cried out to their respective gods (Jon 1:5). The shipmaster then roused Jonah, urging him to pray to "his god" in hopes of deliverance (Jon 1:6). It is in this atmosphere of intense fear, human effort failing, and belief in divine causality that the sailors decide to use lots, a common ancient Near Eastern and Israelite practice, to uncover the person responsible for this calamity. The lot falling on Jonah forces him into an inescapable confrontation with his disobedience and God's pursuit.

Jonah 1 7 Word analysis

• And they said every one to his fellow: The phrase emphasizes the sailors' collective anxiety and desperate deliberation. It points to a communal understanding and decision-making process under dire circumstances. It indicates their shared theological framework that a divine power was involved.
• Come: (Hebrew: Bo'u, בּוֹאוּ) An urgent imperative, signaling a call to action. It highlights the immediacy and gravity of their situation, demanding quick resolution.
• and let us cast lots: (Hebrew: venappilah goralot, וְנַפִּילָה גוֹרָלוֹת) "Lots" (goralot) were small stones, pieces of wood, or bones used for divination or decision-making in the ancient world. The verb "cast" (nappilah, from naphal) literally means "to fall," indicating the casting and random falling of the lots. The practice was widely believed to reveal the will of deities, both by pagans and, at times, by Israelites (Prov 16:33). For the pagan sailors, this was a legitimate means of discerning the "gods'" will.
• that we may know: (Hebrew: vineda'ah, וְנֵדְעָה) This signifies their quest for understanding and clarity. They weren't just seeking a scapegoat but genuine knowledge of the supernatural cause. It reveals a desire for accountability linked to a divine explanation.
• for whose cause: (Hebrew: ba'asher lami, בַּאֲשֶׁר לְמִי) Implies a specific connection between a person and the cause of the disaster. They inherently linked misfortune to personal transgression or divine disfavor towards an individual. This suggests a deep-seated belief in retribution from deities.
• this evil: (Hebrew: hara'ah hazzo't, הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת) "Evil" (ra'ah) here refers to calamity, disaster, or affliction, not necessarily moral wickedness (though they assumed a moral cause). It encapsulates the full terror and destruction brought by the storm. It denotes a destructive force perceived as emanating from a supernatural source.
• is upon us: (Hebrew: 'aleinu, עָלֵינוּ) Indicates the collective experience of suffering the consequences of this "evil." It underscores their shared plight and the communal burden of the disaster.
• So they cast lots: (Hebrew: vayyappilu goralot, וַיַּפִּילוּ גוֹרָלוֹת) The actualization of their decision. This active step confirms their commitment to this method of inquiry, highlighting their belief in its efficacy.
• and the lot fell upon Jonah: (Hebrew: vayyippol ha-goral 'al-Yonah, וַיִּפֹּל הַגּוֹרָל עַל-יוֹנָה) The decisive moment. Despite being pagan, the system they employed was supernaturally guided by Yahweh, not their idols, to precisely identify His fleeing prophet. The falling of the lot on Jonah is depicted as a divine intervention, an undeniable exposure of his disobedience, proving God's control even over seemingly random events and foreign practices. It's an instance of God's inescapable sovereignty.

Jonah 1 7 Bonus section

The sailors' use of lots is a testament to the universality of certain religious instincts in humanity: the search for a cause behind suffering, the belief in divine wrath, and the desire for means to discern divine will. What distinguishes the narrative is not just that they used lots, but that the true God of Israel sovereignly guided them to identify His prophet. This moment foreshadows God's wider purpose in Jonah: demonstrating His universal sovereignty and His compassion not just for Israel, but for Gentiles who are open to seeking the truth. The episode implicitly contrasts the deep spiritual sleep of God's prophet (Jonah) with the urgent, if misguided, spiritual inquiry of pagan mariners, ultimately revealing Yahweh as the One who controls even the lot and the sea. The ship, once a means of escape, becomes a vessel of inescapable revelation.

Jonah 1 7 Commentary

Jonah 1:7 marks a crucial turning point where the human-initiated attempts to resolve the crisis meet with divine intervention. The pagan sailors, rooted in a worldview where natural calamities like storms were attributable to offended deities, naturally turned to lots—a universal method in the ancient world for discerning divine will. This practice, while appearing arbitrary to a modern mind, was a serious theological act for them. The text strongly affirms that God, the sovereign Lord of the universe, was orchestrating the "random" outcome of the lots. This is a profound theological statement: even when people employ pagan methods or systems that are not explicitly consecrated to Him, God remains in absolute control and can use them to accomplish His purposes and reveal His truth.

The verse showcases the sailors' theology: trouble has a cause, and that cause is often linked to an individual's action against the divine. Their communal desperation, "every one to his fellow," reveals a shared sense of existential threat and a collaborative desire for resolution. The lots falling on Jonah is not mere coincidence but an act of divine pursuit, a dramatic spotlight shining on the prophet's disobedience. It demonstrates the inescapable nature of God's presence and will. While Jonah was attempting to flee from God's physical presence or direct command, God uses this "pagan" means to drag Jonah back into the arena of accountability, preparing him for the specific mission he sought to avoid.

Examples:

• A hidden fault being exposed by seemingly unconnected events, showing God's timing and justice.
• A desperate situation leading those without faith to unexpectedly confront the truth of God's control and ultimate authority.