The Mysterious Urim and Thummim Oracle
What is the Urim and Thummim?
Worn as part of the breastplate of the high priest, is the mystical device of divination known as the Urim and Thummim (Ex. 28; Num . 27; Sam. 28). Carved by the Shamir Worm, its oracular power is driven by light shining through its twelve magical gems (“Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer”).
The jewelry contained a plate that was inscribed with the Tetragrammaton and inserted behind the mounts of the gemstones. Holy, supernal light illuminated the different stones—each of which was inscribed with a different name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
According to “Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer” a mystical work from 830 CE, the stone representing each tribe would luminesce when that tribe committed a transgression. However, it was up to the high priest to divine the specifics. Some believe that the pattern and intensities of illumination was a code. Others believe that the Urim were the lights and the Thummim was either the device or the code which helped interpret the message from the Divine. Still others believe that the Urim and Thummim were separate objects entirely, both kept in a pouch of the breastplate. In the Bible, a counterfeit Urim and Thummim is made from terafim or idols (Judg. 17-18; Hos. 3:4). According to “Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer”, those terafim were “talking skulls”.
How was it used?
It is generally accepted that the Urim and Thummim were used only for questions of extreme importance, such as when to wage war. On the other hand, there is a passage in the Book of Numbers which implies that it was also used to determine more mundane issues, such as legal matters.
Urim and Thummim the Bible
When the Urim and Thummim are used, the Bible records answers given in complete sentences. The Kingdom of Judea crystallized into existence around 1250 BCE with King Saul, but by the 8th century BCE the Urim and Thummim ceased to be mentioned.
Post Biblical Sources
Post Biblical sources offer numerous theories on the history and operation of the Urim and the Thummim, however, so much of the material contradicts itself that no one really seems to have definitive answers (Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q376; 4QpIsa; Antiquities 3:8; Talmud Yoma 73b; Exodus Rabbah 47; Sifrei Num. 141; Targum Johnathan to Ex. 28; Zohar II:234b; Ramban on Ex. 28). We may never know the full story, but you can learn more about fascinating on our TikTok.
Copyright 2022. Jeremy Weiss. All rights reserved.
