Bible
The Bible makes many references to drawing lots as a means of communicating with God.
• Numbers 26:52-56 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying ... the land shall be divided by lot. • Joshua 14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. • Joshua 18:6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. • Joshua 19:51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD.
• Joshua 21:8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. • 1 Chronicles 26:13-14 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate. And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward. • Nehemiah 10:34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God. • Acts 1:23-26 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen.... And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Government Gaming
• The first signs of a lottery trace back to Asia, where ancient Keno slips were discovered. First played in China, the lottery has helped finance major governmental projects like
the Great Wall of China. • Organized governmental regulation of gambling, as opposed to taxation by force, is recorded as early as 321 B.C. in India where a Superintendent of Public Games supplied dice and collected a fee of 5% of the receipts.
Homer Law, Chtd. 2006
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