16:33

Notice the parallelism. The first line describes the human action of casting lots to get an answer to a question. The second line declares that the LORD controls the way that the dice land.

33a The lot is cast into the lap,

33b but its every decision is from the LORD.

16:33a

The lot is cast into the lap: The practice of “casting lots” was a way to determine unknown facts or to decide what action to take. How the lot was actually cast is not known. Specially marked stones may have been tossed into the lap, a fold in a person’s robe above the belt.

When you translate this clause, it is recommended that you refer to a practice that is known, such as throwing dice or drawing straws.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

People throw lots to make a decision (New Century Version)
-or-
We may throw the dice (New Living Translation (2004))

16:33b

but its every decision is from the LORD: This clause means that every “answer” that people obtain from casting lots is determined by the LORD.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

but the answer comes from the Lord (New Century Version)
-or-
but the Lord determines how they fall (New Living Translation (2004))

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