¶ Urim and Thummim
The Urim and Thummim are the means of judgment kept in the high priest’s breastpiece.
Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.
The Urim and Thummim are put in the breastpiece of judgment. Aaron bears the judgment of Israel on his heart when he goes in before the Lord. The objects are not described. They are used when the priest inquires. Saul gets no answer by Urim in his last night. After the exile a priest is told not to eat the most holy food until a priest stands with Urim and Thummim. The church does not cast those lots. It has the Scriptures and the Spirit who inspired them.
- Lights and perfections are the usual sense of the two words. The text does not explain the method.
- They belong to the high priest’s garment, not to private divination.
- Silence from the Urim is itself an answer in Saul’s story.
In the breastpiece of judgment.
On his heart before the Lord.
Saul inquired, and the Lord did not answer him.
- Urim and Thummim sit in the breastpiece.
- They are for judgment, borne on the priest’s heart.
- The text does not describe how they were used.
- Saul receives no answer by them.
- After the exile they are still the mark of a priest who can inquire.
- The church is not told to restore the objects.
- The Place – The breastpiece.
- The Bearer – Aaron, the high priest.
- The Use – Inquiry and judgment.
- The Silence – No answer for Saul.
- The Exile – Still expected after the return.
- The Limit – Not a private oracle.
- Exodus 28:30 – “In the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord.”
- 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.”
- Ezra 2:63 – They were not to eat the most holy food until a priest stood with Urim and Thummim.
- Numbers 27:21 – Joshua stands before Eleazar, who inquires by the judgment of the Urim.
You shall put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment.
They shall be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord.
The Lord did not answer Saul by Urim.
They were the priest’s means of inquiry. The church has the word. It does not rebuild the pouch.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.