These two objects, that sound like the names of two Tolkien characters, actually play a part in the Israelite history, until the return of the captives from the Babylonian exile. Urim and Thummim, otherwise known as “light” and “perfection” were “priestly (devices) for obtaining oracles.” In other words, Urim and Thummim, elements of a priestly breastplate made up of 12 stones, were possibly used for divination. Now what a minute, doesn’t the Bible talk against divination? Why on earth would someone, especially a high priest, wear something on his breast piece that invoked the powers of Satan? In this article, we’ll explore Urim and Thummim and what they represented, and why they went extinct after the exile. We’ll also show how they’ve resurfaced in other religions today and discuss why in the world a priest would wear this in the Old Testament times. Let’s dive in!
What Are Urim and Thummim?
In short, we don’t really know. We know Urim and Thummim belonged on a priest’s breastplate. An ephod would have 12 different stones and perhaps the Urim and Thummim made up two out of 12 of these stones. But let’s crack open what we do know about Urim and Thummim.
Urim means “light” as mentioned above. This unknown element represented God’s light. Thummim symbolizes God’s perfection. We don’t exactly know how priests used these two elements. Scripture makes it very unclear. But we do know that these two elements would help service revelations from God to the priests who used them.
We also know, according to Josephus, that Urim and Thummim go out of style once the Israelites return from Persia from their exile. But why would God allow for priests to use an object that seems to invoke powers of divination?
To answer this, we have to analyze three theories about the nature of these objects, as mentioned by Bible Odyssey. First, some theologians have surmised that when a priest would go to the Lord in prayer, that the Urim and Thummim would miraculously illuminate with an answer. Others have suggested that perhaps the priests used these as a lot-casting device, a practice used until the Early Church. The casting of lots asked God to take control of the decision process and outcome.
In either case, we know that God speaks out against divination. So by process of deduction, we know that he wouldn’t give his people a tool of divination. Also, thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit’s guidance now, instead of needing to cast lots or rely on Urim and Thummim.
Urim and Thummim in the Bible
What does the Bible say about these two mysterious and somewhat unknown objects?
Exodus 28:30: “You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.”
As discussed before, the priests would wear a breast piece with 12 precious stones implanted into it. Sadly, this verse doesn’t highlight much of the uses of Urim and Thummim.
1 Samuel 28:6: “When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.”
This verse drops hints at the use of these devices. Perhaps they answered questions they had for the Lord. We do have to also bear in mind that Thummim and Urim didn’t make up the only means by which God answered his people. The verse specifically mentions prophets, who we see up until 400 years before the birth of Christ. They also had writings such as the Torah. God had many ways by which he spoke to his people.
Nehemiah 7:65: “The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with Urim and Thummim.”
The last mention of these two elements happens right after the exile ends, aligning with the timeline Josephus sets up. It appears the governor thinks it proper to incorporate these holy elements with the priesthood when they return to Jerusalem. Sadly, we don’t really know what happens afterward with this.
What Is Urim and Thummim in Mormonism and LDS?
Nevertheless, Urim and Thummim seem to have resurfaced in other religions now. According to the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints website, the founder of Mormonism Joseph Smith used Urim and Thummim to aid in the translation of the Book of Mormon. As these objects were known to illuminate or elucidate, supposedly Urim and Thummim helped in the translation process.
Other extra-biblical texts show famous Bible figures supposedly gaining true or more knowledge through Urim and Thummim. Some of these figures include people such as Abraham and Moses.
As for Christian denominations, we don’t really see the use of Urim and Thummim. After all, there would be no need for such objects. God already speaks to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, through the Bible, and the guidance of mature Christian mentors and leadership.
Why Should Christians Know about Urim and Thummim?
We may wonder why we need to take stock of two mysterious elements that disappeared from the biblical narrative. In fact, the supposed use of it in other religions makes Urim and Thummim seem even more suspect and dubious. Nevertheless, we can learn a lot from these two objects, even if they only appear in a handful of Scripture verses.
First, we can appreciate that we have direct communication methods with God. Back in the Old Testament, people would speak to God through priests or prophets. But now, we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. We have the Bible. Often, we can take for granted our ability to pray to God directly.
Secondly, we know that God hates divination. So we can assume that even though we don’t know much about these unknown entities, that God doesn’t contradict his character. He wouldn’t allow his priests to practice divination.
Thirdly, we have to understand the context of any passage in the Bible in a historical and cultural sense. Often they used tools and methods we don't today. It's very important that we make sure we understand something before making assumptions. For instance, take a look at some of the misconceptions of the concept "oracles of God" found in the Old and New Testaments.
Finally, we should view the use of Urim and Thummim post-exile with extreme suspicion. After all, after the exile, God sent Jesus to die for our sins and allow us to come into a relationship with him. There is no need, now, for Urim and Thummim. We can go to God boldly with our prayers, cares, and thanksgiving.
What are Urim and Thummim? In short, we don't exactly know. We can hazard some educated guesses. But due to the lack of archeological evidence, we can't make any surefire claims. However, we can know that they likely involved some communication methods between God and the priests of Israel. We know that God communicated via various means in the Old Testament to his people. Thankfully, we don't need Urim and Thummim today. We can go to God directly.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Kathryn Farley
Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.
This article is part of our Christian Terms catalog, exploring words and phrases of Christian theology and history. Here are some of our most popular articles covering Christian terms to help your journey of knowledge and faith:
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