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גּוֹרָל

𐤂𐤅𐤓𐤋

gôwrâl

H1486 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A stone or object used in the casting of lots as a means of selection or decision-making; by extension, the result of casting lots, understood as an assigned portion, share, fate, or destiny determined by chance or divine will. The term encompasses both the physical act of casting lots and the abstract concept of one's divinely-allotted share or fate.

Semantic Range

pebble or object for casting lots, lot (chance selection), assigned portion, allotment (especially land), fate, destiny

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Root גָּרַל (uncertain, as the root does not occur as a verb in Hebrew); possibly related to the act of rolling or roughness, referencing the use of stones or small objects. The noun גּוֹרָל ('lot') developed from this root, signifying the objects employed in the practice and, more abstractly, the resulting outcome, portion, or destiny assigned thereby.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Historical & Contextual Notes: In the Hebrew Bible, גּוֹרָל refers primarily to the practice of casting lots to make decisions or divide land, particularly in the division of Canaan among the Israelite tribes (e.g., Joshua 18). The term shifts with context from the physical object used in lottery practices (e.g., pebbles, sticks, or marked items) to the outcome or allocation produced by the lot, and finally to 'portion' or 'fate' in poetic or wisdom literature. The underlying notion is that casting lots represents submitting to impartial chance, yet in biblical thought, this is often depicted as under divine control. In later periods, the use of lots continued in administrative decisions, temple service assignments, or legal contexts. English translations such as 'lot,' 'portion,' or 'destiny' may each capture only one facet of the term; in some contexts, the nuance of God-determined fate is central. No closely related Hebrew term fully overlaps with גּוֹרָל; חֵלֶק (ḥēleq, 'share, portion') can overlap in the sense of 'share' but lacks the element of random or divinely-mediated assignment. The later English term 'lot' preserves much of the ancient meaning but often neglects the sense of divinely-directed fate present in many biblical passages.

Translation Consistency

primary "lot" 41 occurrences

"Lot" is the most frequent and natural English rendering for גּוֹרָל in both literal and figurative senses (the pebble/object used in casting lots, the act/result of casting lots, an allotted portion, or one’s fate). It is concise, idiomatic (e.g. "cast lots," "the lot of the people"), and will allow consistent, easily understood renderings across all occurrences.

Alternatives (9 occurrences):
"lot-allotment" (7x) "allotted portion" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) גֹּרָל; from an unused root meaning to be rough (as stone); properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot); lot.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

גורל (gôwrâl) — to assign, to roll (by extension: to determine fate, to allot)

Root גורל to assign, to roll (by extension: to determine fate, to allot)

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1486-12 הַ/גּוֹרָֽל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot 24
H1486-05 גּוֹרָֽל goral HNcmsa lot allotted portion lot 14
H1486-02 בְּ/גוֹרַ֖ל begoral HR/Ncmsc by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment 8
H1486-11 גּוֹרָל֜וֹת goralot HNcmpa lots allotted lots lots 8
H1486-01 בַּ/גּוֹרָ֖ל bagoral HRd/Ncmsa by lot in the allotted lot by lot 6
H1486-06 גּֽוֹרָלָ֔/ם goralam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their lot their assigned lot their lot 3
H1486-08 גּוֹרָלֵ֑/ךְ goralekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your lot your allotted portion your lot 2
H1486-16 וְ/גוֹרָ֖ל vegoral HC/Ncmsa and lot and allotted lot and lot 2
H1486-03 בְּ/גוֹרָלֶ֑/ךָ begoralekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms into your lot in your assigned lot in your allotted portion 1
H1486-04 בְּ/גוֹרָל֖וֹת begoralot HR/Ncmpa by lots by lots by lots 1

Occurrences in Scripture

77 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1486-11 Leviticus 16:8 גּוֹרָל֑וֹת goralot HNcmpa lots allotted lots lots
H1486-05 Leviticus 16:8 גּוֹרָ֤ל goral HNcmsa lot allotted portion lot
H1486-16 Leviticus 16:8 וְ/גוֹרָ֥ל vegoral HC/Ncmsa and lot and allotted lot and lot
H1486-12 Leviticus 16:9 הַ/גּוֹרָ֖ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Leviticus 16:10 הַ/גּוֹרָל֙ hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-02 Numbers 26:55 בְּ/גוֹרָ֕ל begoral HR/Ncmsa by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-12 Numbers 26:56 הַ/גּוֹרָ֔ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-02 Numbers 33:54 בְּ/גוֹרָ֜ל begoral HR/Ncmsa by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-12 Numbers 33:54 הַ/גּוֹרָ֖ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-02 Numbers 34:13 בְּ/גוֹרָ֔ל begoral HR/Ncmsa by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-02 Numbers 36:2 בְּ/גוֹרָ֖ל begoral HR/Ncmsa by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-14 Numbers 36:3 וּ/מִ/גֹּרַ֥ל umigoral HC/R/Ncmsc and from lot of and from the allotted-portion-of and from the lot of
H1486-02 Joshua 14:2 בְּ/גוֹרַ֖ל begoral HR/Ncmsc by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-12 Joshua 15:1 הַ/גּוֹרָ֗ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 16:1 הַ/גּוֹרָ֜ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 17:1 הַ/גּוֹרָל֙ hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-05 Joshua 17:14 גּוֹרָ֤ל goral HNcmsa lot allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Joshua 17:17 גּוֹרָ֥ל goral HNcmsa lot allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Joshua 18:6 גּוֹרָל֙ goral HNcmsa lots allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Joshua 18:8 גּוֹרָ֛ל goral HNcmsa lots allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Joshua 18:10 גּוֹרָ֛ל goral HNcmsa lots allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Joshua 18:11 גּוֹרַ֛ל goral HNcmsc lot allotted portion lot
H1486-06 Joshua 18:11 גּֽוֹרָלָ֔/ם goralam HNcmsc/Sp3mp of their lot their assigned lot their lot
H1486-12 Joshua 19:1 הַ/גּוֹרָ֤ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 19:10 הַ/גּוֹרָ֣ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 19:17 הַ/גּוֹרָ֣ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 19:24 הַ/גּוֹרָ֣ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 19:32 הַ/גּוֹרָ֣ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-12 Joshua 19:40 הַ/גּוֹרָ֥ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-02 Joshua 19:51 בְּ/גוֹרָ֤ל begoral HR/Ncmsa by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-12 Joshua 21:4 הַ/גּוֹרָ֖ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-01 Joshua 21:4 בַּ/גּוֹרָ֔ל bagoral HRd/Ncmsa by lot in the allotted lot by lot
H1486-01 Joshua 21:5 בַּ/גּוֹרָ֖ל bagoral HRd/Ncmsa by lot in the allotted lot by lot
H1486-01 Joshua 21:6 בַּ/גּוֹרָ֔ל bagoral HRd/Ncmsa by lot in the allotted lot by lot
H1486-01 Joshua 21:8 בַּ/גּוֹרָֽל bagoral HRd/Ncmsa by lot in the allotted lot by lot
H1486-12 Joshua 21:10 הַ/גּוֹרָ֖ל hagoral HTd/Ncmsa the lot the allotted lot the allotted lot
H1486-06 Joshua 21:20 גֽוֹרָלָ֔/ם goralam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their lot their assigned lot their lot
H1486-06 Joshua 21:40 גּוֹרָלָ֔/ם goralam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their lot their assigned lot their lot
H1486-17 Judges 1:3 בְ/גוֹרָלִ֗/י vegorali HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs into my lot in my allotted-portion in my allotted portion
H1486-03 Judges 1:3 בְּ/גוֹרָלֶ֑/ךָ begoralekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms into your lot in your assigned lot in your allotted portion
H1486-02 Judges 20:9 בְּ/גוֹרָֽל begoral HR/Ncmsa by lot by lot-allotment by lot-allotment
H1486-16 Isaiah 17:14 וְ/גוֹרָ֖ל vegoral HC/Ncmsa and lot and allotted lot and lot
H1486-05 Isaiah 34:17 גּוֹרָ֔ל goral HNcmsa lot allotted portion lot
H1486-08 Isaiah 57:6 גּוֹרָלֵ֑/ךְ goralekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs are your lot your allotted portion your lot
H1486-08 Jeremiah 13:25 גוֹרָלֵ֧/ךְ goralekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your lot your allotted portion your lot
H1486-05 Ezekiel 24:6 גּוֹרָֽל goral HNcmsa lot allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Joel 4:3 גוֹרָ֑ל goral HNcmsa a-lot allotted portion lot
H1486-05 Obadiah 1:11 גוֹרָ֔ל goral HNcmsa lots allotted portion lots
H1486-11 Jonah 1:7 גֽוֹרָל֔וֹת goralot HNcmpa lots allotted lots lots
H1486-11 Jonah 1:7 גּֽוֹרָל֔וֹת goralot-2 HNcmpa lots allotted lots lots
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