Lexical Definition

‎גּוֹרָל‎ gôwrâl (go-rawl') allotted ^H:N-M
or (shortened) גֹּרָל gôrâl (go-ral'); from an unused root meaning to be rough (as stone)

lot.

• properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose)
• figuratively, a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot)

1) lot
1a) lot-pebbles used for systematically making decisions
2) portion
2a) lot, portion (thing assigned by casting lots)
2b) recompense, retribution

See Greek: κληρονομία · κλῆρος · ὅριον

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎גּוֺרָל‎₇₇ noun masculine^{Lev 16:8} & ( Josh 21:10, but see below) feminine lot: (Late Hebrew id. & denominative Hiph`il ‎הִגְרִיל‎ cast lots) — absolute ‎׳‎‎ג‎ Josh 16:1 + 51 t.; construct ‎גּוֺרַל‎ Josh 18:11 + 2 t., ‎גֹּרַל‎ Num 36:3 suffix ‎גּוֺרָלִי‎ Ps 16:5, ‎גֹּרָלִי‎ Judg 1:3, ‎גּוֺרָֽלְךָ‎ Prov 1:14, ‎גֹּרָֽלְךָ‎ Dan 12:13, ‎גּוֺרָלֶ֑ךָ‎ Judg 1:3, ‎גּוֺרָלֵךְ‎ Jer 13:25; Isa 57:6, ‎גּוֺרָלוֺ‎ 1Chr 26:14, ‎גּוֺרָלָם‎ Josh 18:11 + 2 t.; plural ‎גּוֺרָלוֺת‎ Jonah 1:7 + 8 t., ‎גֹּרָלוֺת‎ Lev 16:8 — a lot cast for the decision of questions Prov 18:18, designation of persons, etc., for service or punishment, assignment of property, etc.; probably stones put into the bosom-fold of a garment, Prov 16:33 (‎׳‎‎בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶתהַֿגּ‎), or into a vessel, and shaken until one springs out (‎עָלָה‎, ‎יָצָא‎ or — late — ‎נָפַל‎); this was regarded originally as divine decision (compare on Urim & Thummim p. 22, above); for the agent, the usual verbs are ‎הִשְׁלִיךְ‎, ‎יָרָה‎, ‎נָתַן‎, and ‎הִפִּיל‎. Particularly: —

1. lot for dividing land, especially that which Joshua cast at Shiloh ‎׳‎‎לִפְנֵי י‎ Josh 18:6 (‎יָרָה‎) vJosh 18:8 vJosh 18:10 (both ‎הִשְׁלִיךְ‎; all three followed by ‎לְ‎ of person for whom; all J E); compare Josh 19:51 (P); so of lot coming up, or forth, ‎עָלָה‎ Josh 18:11 (construct; P), also followed by ‎לְ‎ person Josh 19:10 (P), & following with ‎יָצָא‎ Josh 16:11 (JE), Num 33:54; Josh 19:1; Josh 19:17; Josh 19:24; Josh 19:32; Josh 19:40; Josh 21:4 (all P); be divided by lot ‎׳‎‎יֵחָלֵק בְּג‎ Num 26:55, or according to lot ‎תֵּחָלֵק‎ ‎׳‎‎עַלפִּֿי הַגּ‎ vNum 26:56 apportion by lot ‎הִתְנַחֲלוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּג‎ Num 33:54; Num 34:13, ‎׳‎‎נִחַל בְּג‎ Josh 19:51 give by lot ‎׳‎‎נָתַן בְּג‎ Num 36:2 ‎׳‎‎נָתַן בַּגּ‎ Josh 21:8 (all P) 1Chr 6:50* have by lot ‎׳‎‎בַּגּ‎ ‎׳‎‎הָיָה ל‎ Josh 21:4, & (‎היה‎ omitted) vJosh 21:5 vJosh 21:6 (all P) compare 1Chr 6:46*; 1Chr 6:48* also Josh 21:10 (P; ‎רִאישֹׁנָה‎ ‎׳‎‎הַגּ‎, only here feminine; ᵐ5 — not ᵐ5^L — omits ‎ראישׁנה‎, & so) || 1Chr 6:39* compare further Isa 34:17 (‎הִפִּיל לְ‎).

2. lot for assigning to service, duty or punishment,
a. concerning the goats on day of atonement, Lev 16:8 (‎נָתַן עַל‎) vLev 16:8 vLev 16:8 (followed by ‎לְ‎); compare vLev 16:9 vLev 16:10 (‎עָלָה עַל‎; all P).
b. assigning priests to their courses, singers, musicians & porters to their duties, by lot ‎׳‎‎חָלַק בְּג‎ 1Chr 24:5 ‎׳‎‎הִפִּיל ג‎ v1Chr 24:31; 1Chr 25:8; 1Chr 26:13 (followed by ‎לְ‎ of position) v1Chr 26:14 of lot coming forth (‎יָצָא‎ ‎לְ‎ person) 1Chr 24:7 (compare v1Chr 24:7 v1Chr 24:18) 1Chr 25:9 (compare v1Chr 25:9-31) 1Chr 26:14 compare ‎וַיֵּצֵא גּוֺרָלוֺ‎ v1Chr 26:14.
c. cast lots for dwelling in Jerusalem (‎׳‎‎הִפִּיל ג‎) Neh 1:11 (followed by infinitive)
d. for supplying wood for altar-fire Neh 10:35* (‎הִפִּיל עַל‎); here belongs probably also
e. Judg 20:9 ‎׳‎‎עָלֶיהָ בְּג‎, reference to vJudg 20:10 (determining who shall go up, and who supply provision) ᵐ5 ἀναβησόμεθα ἐπ’ αὐτὴν ἐν κλήρῳ, so Stu (insert perhaps ‎נעלה‎), compare AV RV, Bu^{RS 151} (who reads ‎׳‎‎נַפִּילָה בְּג‎); > ᵑ6 Be Ke who reference ‎׳‎‎ג‎ here to division of land of captured city. feminine to determine guilty persons Jonah 1:7 (twice in verse) (both ‎הִפִּיל‎) vJonah 1:17 (‎נָפַל עַל‎); so apparently Ezek 24:6 of inhabitants of Jerusalem under figure of flesh in pot ‎׳‎‎לֹאנָֿפַל עָלֶיהָ ג‎ no lot is fallen over it, i.e. no discrimination is made, destruction is to include the whole city; (compare also Josh 1:41ff. where divine agency in detection is prominent but word ‎גּוֺרָל‎ not used).
g. in allotting slaves Joel 4:3* ‎אֶלעַֿמִּי‎ ‎׳‎‎יַדּוּ גּ‎; Nah 3:10 (‎יַדּוּ עַל‎); so Obad 1:11 ‎׳‎‎וְעַליְֿרוּשָׁלִַם יַדּוּ ג‎ — all with verb ‎ידד‎ q. v.
h. in distributing plundered garments Ps 22:19* (‎הִפִּיל על‎).
i. to determine favourable day for a scheme, ‎הִפִּיל‎ Esth 3:7 (‎לִפְנֵי הָמָן‎) Esth 9:24 (followed by infinitive; see also ‎פּוּר‎).

3. thing assigned, apportioned, allotted especially of land assigned by lot, allotment Josh 15:1; Josh 17:1; Josh 21:38 (all P), Josh 17:14; Josh 17:17 = portion, share (|| ‎נַחֲלָה‎ J E); compare ‎גֹּרַל נַחֲלָתֵנוּ‎ Num 36:3 (P), ‎גּוֺרַל נַחֲלָתָם‎ Josh 14:2 (P; but perhaps read absolute ‎גּוֺרָל‎ compare Di); also ‎גְּבוּל גּוֺרָלָם‎ Josh 18:11 (P) the boundary of their allotment; ‎עָרֵי גוֺרָלָם‎ Josh 21:20 (P); see further Judg 1:3 (twice in verse); so probably Mic 2:5 ‎׳‎‎הִשְׁלִיךְ חֶבֶל בְּג‎ (Hi Che; compare also Ew); Ps 125:3, land, exposed to oppressive exaction; also figurative of ‎׳‎‎י‎ as portion, allotment of his people Ps 16:5 (so Che, & on ‎תָּמִיד‎ for ‎תּוֺמִיךְ‎ compare his critical note; see also Ew; otherwise De and others; — || ‎מְנָת חֶלְקִי‎); on the other hand, of idols Isa 57:6 (|| ‎חֵלֶק‎); also ‎׳‎‎עָמַד לְג‎ Dan 12:13, of allotted portion, share, in the Messianic consummation; more generally, one's portion, lot, fortune ‎גּוֺרָֽלְךָ תַּפִּיל בְּתוֺכֵנוּ‎ Prov 1:14 cast thy fortune into the midst of us, in with us (|| ‎כִּיס אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לְכֻלָּנוּ‎).

4. portion = recompence, retribution Isa 17:14 (|| ‎חֵלֶק‎), Jer 13:25 (|| ‎מְנָת‎ ‎מִדַּיִךְ‎), both implying divine agency.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References