Urim and Thummim

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(Redirected from Thummim)

For the ancient city of Urim see Ur.

Urim and Thummim (in Hebrew Urim VeTumim, אורים ותמים, Tiberian Hebrew ʾÛrîm wəṮummîm, Standard Hebrew אורים ותומים Urim vəTummim; Arabic اوريم وتميم Ūrīm waṮummīm) — typically translated as "lights and perfections" or "revelation and truth" — were a divination medium or process used by ancient Hebrews (usually Israelites) in revealing the will of God on a contested point of view or other problem. Also used to translate ancient manuscripts.

1 Device or process
2 Biblical references
- 2.1 Christian views
3 Non-Biblical references
4 University References
5 Scriptural Passages Mentioning the Urim and Thummim
- 5.1 King James Version of the Bible
- 5.2 Strictly Mormon Scriptures
6 See also
7 External link

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Device or process

Because the words Urim and Thummim are plural and in most cases do not connote an object, the device or process could be referred to as Urim and Thummim rather than "the" Urim and Thummim (Hebrew האורים והתמים, Tiberian Hebrew hāʾÛrîm wəhatTummîm, Standard Hebrew האורים והתומים haʾUrim vəhaTummim; Arabic الاوريم والتميم al-Ūrīm waʾaṯ-Ṯummīm).

According to the teachings of Judaism, a small parchment with God's holy name, the Tetragrammaton, inscribed on it was slipped into an opening under the Urim and Thummim on the high priest's breast plate, which caused the breastplate to "glow" and thereby "transmit messages" from God to the Children of Israel.

Some scholars have suggested "the" Urim and Thummim consists of two crystals; however, the precise nature of the medium is unknown to most secular scholars. According to the Hebrew Bible, stones used for "an" Urim and Thummim were kept in the breastplate of Aaron, the brother of Moses. (In Mormonism, Joseph Smith, Jr.'s Urim and Thummim consisted on "two transparent stones set in the rim of a [silver] bow fastened to a breast plate" (History of the Church 4:537 [1]).

More recent scholars have pointed to the plural nature of the words to argue that there wasn't "a" certain device, but rather Urim and Thummim was the process or procedure priests used in the casting of lots and some sort of stones or jewels would be the medium. Others have pointed out that the words "Urim and Thummim," in the Hebrew, begin with the first letter (aleph, א) and the final letter (tav, ת) of the Hebrew alphabet, respectively, and have suggested that the device contained these and perhaps other letters of the Hebrew alphabet, which were used as lots to determine the response of the oracle.

There is some evidence that Urim and Thummim were/was used as a lot that provided "yes" or "no" answers, depending upon whether the Urim or the Thummim came into play, as manipulated by a Hebrew oracle. There is also evidence that the medium was used as an ordeal to establish a person's guilt or innocence.

We also have an error in the Septuagint text for I Samuel 14:41 when compared with the Masoretic text where MT separates the casting of lots with the UT, and the LXX confuses both as the same. Note clearly the differences,

"Then Saul said, 'O Lord, God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If the guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim; and if you indicate that it is in the people of Israel, give Thummim.' And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped." I Sam14:41 (LXX)

"Then Saul 'said to all Israel, 'You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son shall be on the other side.' And the people said to Saul, 'Do what seems good to you.' Then Saul said to Yahweh, 'O God of Israel, give truth.' And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot but the people were escaped. Then Saul said, 'Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,' And Jonathan was taken.," I Samuel 14"40-42 (MT)

It is stated in the Scriptures (concerning this account), that God did not answer Saul by the UT that day (verse 37), so Saul resorted to the casting of lots instead. The casting of lots (see Lev.16:8) should always be viewed as distinct from the function of the UT. While the use of lots can only give a yes or no answer, we find one instance when the UT was consulted where a whole conversation took place.

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Biblical references

The earliest reference to Urim and Thummim in the Hebrew Bible is that Aaron carried them with him as High Priest(Exodus 28:30). Many scholars believe Urim and Thummim were originally stones that resided in the breastplate (with other precious stones) of the Jewish High Priest ceremonial clothing when he officiated in the tabernacle or temple. Upon the death of Aaron and Moses, Joshua was instructed to present himself to the high priest for the counsel of the Urim and Thummim when he wished to consult God. This was in contrast to Moses, who was believed to speak to God directly, and indicated that Joshua would not normally receive direct revelation. The last agreed-upon reference to Urim and Thummim in the Bible is in Ezra and Nehemiah when, as the Temple and its worship practices are being restored, those who cannot prove their lineage as priests are commanded to wait for a priest with Urim and Thummim to identify them.

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Christian views

Some feel that "Urim and Thummim" is another name for the casting of lots, rather than a device (or stones, etc.) that is used as a medium. Because of this context, some traditions hold that the choosing of Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot in the book of Acts by the casting of lot was done by Urim and Thummim, rather than by "the" Urim and Thummim. In either case, Urim and Thummim is not mentioned specifically in Biblical text in regard to this calling.

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Non-Biblical references

Urim and Thummim play a role in Mormonism. Joseph Smith, Jr. claimed to have used devices, which he referred to as the Urim and Thummim, in the translation of the Book of Mormon from metal plates. Smith also reportedly used the medium to assist in receiving divine revelation, such as in dictating some of the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants as well as to facilitate some portions of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Many associates of Smith saw the Urim and Thummim, however, there is only one known case of another (Oliver Cowdery) using them to receive revelation [2].

The LDS Bible Dictionary defines an Urim and Thummim as "an instrument prepared of God to assist man in obtaining revelation from the Lord and in translating languages." In the Book of Mormon the prophets Ether and Mosiah both used devices called "interpreters" to receive revelation for their people. The use of a Urim and Thummim in Mormonism relates to the function of a seer.

Masonic Legend (taught during the 13, 14 and 21 degrees ceremonies of Masonry) and Kabbalistic tradition state that Urim and Thummin were part of the recovered artifacts taken from Solomon's Temple after Hiram Abiff was murdered while protecting the temple treasury. According to the legend, Urim and Thummin and other recovered treasure were placed back in the temple treasury.

In popular literature, a treasure hunt for "the" Urim and Thummim (as a unique artifact) forms the central plot of the John Bellairs novel The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost, or its apparent desecration by a vandal unknown in the Arthur Conan Doyle short story "The Jew's Breastplate".

It has been suggested that the descriptions of the Urim and Thummim provide substantiation for paleocontact theory.

In the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, an old man who claims to be the king of Salem gives Santiago (the main character, also known as "the boy") two stones, one white, one black and tells him that they are called Urim and Thummim. He continues on to say that these stones can be used to make decisions, the black signifying "yes" and the white signifying "no". It is interesting to note that this old man was wearing a shining golden breastplate, wherein the stones rested before being given to Santiago.

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University References

The Biblical Hebrew "Urim and Thummim" (אורים ותמים) is emblazoned across the open book pictured on the Yale University shield, a legacy of Yale College president Ezra Stiles. It is translated in Latin on a banner below as "Lux et Veritas" ("Light and Truth").

"Lux et Veritas" is also the motto of Indiana University.

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