Matthew 27:35

Σταυρώσαντες δὲ αὐτόν, διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντες κλῆρον.

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 4717; Staurōsantes; Σταυρώσαντες; those who have staked; V-APA-NMP

Strongs 1161; de; δὲ; and; Conj

Strongs 846; auton; αὐτὸν; himself; PPro-AM3S

Strongs 1266; diemerisanto; διεμερίσαντο; they divided; V-AIM-3P

Strongs 3588; ta; τὰ; the; Art-ANP

Strongs 2440; himatia; ἱμάτια; garments; N-ANP

Strongs 846; autou; αὐτοῦ; himself; PPro-GM3S

Strongs 906; ballontes; βάλλοντες; those who are casting; V-PPA-NMP

Strongs 2819; klēron; κλῆρον; [an] inheritance; N-AMS

Strongs 2443; hina; {ἵνα; that; Conj

Strongs 4137; plērōthē; πληρωθῇ; might be fulfilled; V-ASP-3S

Strongs 3588; to; τὸ; the; Art-ANS

Strongs 2046; rhēthen; ῥηθὲν; that which was spoken of; V-APP-NNS

Strongs 5259; hypo; ὑπὸ; under; Prep

Strongs 3588; tou; τοῦ; the; Art-GMS

Strongs 4396; prophētou; προφήτου; prophet; N-GMS

Strongs 1266; Diemerisanto; Διεμερίσαντο; They divided; V-AIM-3P

Strongs 3588; ta; τὰ; the; Art-NNP

Strongs 2440; himatia; ἱμάτιά; garments; N-ANP

Strongs 1473; mou; μου; of myself; PPro-G1S

Strongs 1438; heautois; ἑαυτοῖς; themselves; RefPro-DM3P

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 1909; epi; ἐπὶ; upon; Prep

Strongs 3588; ton; τὸν; the; Art-AMS

Strongs 2441; himatismon; ἱματισμόν; attire; N-AMS

Strongs 1473; mou; μου; of myself; PPro-G1S

Strongs 906; ebalon; ἔβαλον; they cast; V-AIA-3P

Strongs 2819; klēron; κλῆρον}; a lot; N-AMS

RBT Hebrew Literal:

Cleromancy

And those who have staked himself, divided up the Outer Garments of himself, those who are casting a lot.^54a

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And having crucified him, they divided his garments among them, casting lot: that that spoken by the prophet might be filled up: They divided among them my garments, and upon my clothing they cast lot.

LITV Translation:
And having crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting a lot, that might be fulfilled that spoken by the prophet, "They divided My garments to themselves, and they cast a lot over My clothing." Psa. 22:18

ESV Translation:
And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

Footnotes

54a

Cleromancy

The phrase βάλλω κλῆρον (“to cast lots”) refers to the ancient practice of cleromancy, a form of divination in which outcomes were determined by drawing or throwing marked objects such as stones, sticks, or tablets. In Greek religious tradition, this practice was associated with Hermes, who, as a god of fate, luck, and communication, was believed to oversee the distribution of lots (Euripides, Fr. 39). In the biblical contexts, lot-casting similarly functioned as a means of discerning divine will, as seen in the assignment of land (Joshua 18:10) and the selection of Matthias (Acts 1:26).

This effectively created a connection between random circumstances and divine will. Or, one might say, gave divine meaning or purpose to otherwise random outcomes. While the act itself seems based on chance, it was widely believed that the outcome was guided by a higher power—whether Hermes in Greek tradition or God in biblical contexts.

This reflects the (ancient) worldview that chance is not truly random but rather a means through which the divine revealed its intentions. By casting lots, people surrendered human decision-making to the gods, trusting that fate or divine will would manifest through what appeared to be an arbitrary process.

Casting lots was a ritualized way of interpreting divine guidance through seemingly random events, bridging the gap between uncertainty and supernatural order.