Exodus 25:7 reads - "and onyx stones and other stones to be set in the eph′od and the breastpiece."
Exodus 28:4-8 reads - 4 “These are the garments that they will make: a breastpiece, an eph′od, a sleeveless coat, a checkered robe, a turban, and a sash; they will make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that he may serve as priest to me. 5 The skilled workers will use the gold, the blue thread, the purple wool, the scarlet material, and the fine linen. 6 “They are to make the eph′od of gold, blue thread, purple wool, scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, and it should be embroidered. 7 It is to have two attached shoulder pieces that join it at its two edges. 8 The woven belt, which is attached to the eph′od for tying it securely in position, should be of the same materials: gold, blue thread, purple wool, scarlet material, and fine twisted linen."
Exodus 28:12 reads - "And you must put the two stones upon the shoulder pieces of the eph′od as memorial stones for the sons of Israel; and Aaron must carry their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulder pieces as a memorial."
It was apparently an apron-like garment, made of “gold, blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer.” It consisted of front and back parts, these being joined together. A girdle of the same material was “upon” it, perhaps fastened to the ephod, holding it close around the waist. In gold settings on the shoulder pieces were two onyx stones, each engraved with the names of six of the sons of Israel. From the gold settings of these stones hung the breastpiece, by chains of gold having the workmanship of a rope. From the bottom corners of the breastpiece blue string ran through gold rings that were fastened to the lower extremity of the shoulder pieces of the ephod just above the girdle. The ephod apparently reached a little below the waist, perhaps not down to the knees.—Ex 28:6-14, 22-28.
The ephod was worn by the high priest over the blue sleeveless coat, called the “coat of the ephod,” which, in turn, was atop the linen robe. (Ex 29:5) This ephod was not worn on all occasions. When it was necessary to inquire of Jehovah about a matter of importance to the nation, the high priest wore the ephod and the breastpiece containing the Urim and the Thummim. (Nu 27:21; 1Sa 28:6; Ezr 2:63) On the annual Day of Atonement, after presenting the sin offerings, the high priest would wash and change garments, taking off the pure white garments and apparently putting on his beautiful garments, including the ephod, before offering up the burnt offerings.—Le 16:23-25.
It appears from my research that the Ephod and the Urim and Thummim were closely related. The first reference to Urim and Thummim in the Bible is the description in the Book of Exodus concerning the high priest's vestments; the chronologically earliest passage mentioning them, according to textual scholars, is in the Book of Hosea, where it is implied, by reference to the Ephod, that the Urim and Thummim were fundamental elements in the popular form of the Israelite religion, in the mid 8th century BC.
The ephod, an apronlike garment made with front and back parts and reaching a short distance below the waist, was worn by all the priests and sometimes by persons not in the priesthood. (1Samuel 2:18; 2Samuel 6:14) But the ephod of the high priests’ apparel of beauty was of special embroidered work. It was of fine twisted linen with wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material, and gold thread made from gold beaten into thin plates, then cut into threads. (Exodus 39:2, 3) Shoulder pieces possibly extended down on each side in the back from the shoulders to the girdle. On top of the shoulder pieces were two gold settings, each with an onyx stone, and each stone having engraved on it six of the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob) in order of their birth. A girdle of the same material bound the ephod around the waist, the girdle being “upon” the ephod, possibly being fastened to the ephod as a part of it.—Exodus 28:6-14.
The breastpiece of judgment was undoubtedly the most costly and glorious part of the high priest’s dress. It was made of the same material as the ephod, was rectangular in shape, the length being twice the width, but was doubled so that it formed a square about 22 cm (9 in.) on a side. The doubling made a sort of pocket or pouch. The breastpiece was adorned with 12 precious stones set in gold, each engraved with the name of one of the sons of Israel. These stones, of ruby, topaz, emerald, and other gems, were arranged in four rows. Two chains of gold, wreathed in a ropework pattern, were made on the breastpiece, and rings of gold were set in the corners; the top rings were fastened to the ephod’s shoulder pieces by the gold chains. The two bottom rings were attached with blue strings to the shoulder pieces of the ephod, just above the girdle.—Ex 28:15-28.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
How they were used
Some have proposed the suggestion that the Urim and the Thummim were the 12 stones affixed to the breast piece. That this was not the case is shown by the fact that, in the priestly inauguration ceremony, the completed breast piece with the 12 stones sewn on it, was put upon Aaron, and then the Urim and Thummim were put in it. Some suggest that there may have been a pouch or pocket like section behind the overlapping breast plate in which to put the two stones.
These would be drawn, giving the answer to the question asked, unless the blank piece was drawn, in which case a “no” answer was forthcoming. On one occasion, when Saul had inquired through the priest as to whether to resume an attack on the Philistines, he received no answer (or he didn't receive any answer). Feeling that someone among his men had sinned, he petitioned: “O God of Israel, do give Thummim!” Saul and Jonathan were taken from among those present; after that, lots were cast to decide between the two. In this account the appeal, “Do give Thummim,” seems to be separate from the lot casting, though it may give indication that there was some connection between the two.—1Sa 14:36-42.
Although the Scriptures never describe these objects or their exact method of use, different passages seem to imply that they were employed as lots that would result in either a “yes” answer, a “no” answer, or no answer at all from God. They were for “the judgments of the sons of Israel” and were used when a question of importance to the national leaders and consequently to the nation itself needed an answer from Jehovah. Jehovah, who is Israel’s Lawgiver, would give an answer to the high priest as to the right course to pursue on any matter.—Ex 28:30.
Use of the Urim and the Thummim seems to have ceased in 607 B.C.E. when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.—Ex 28:30; Ne 7:65. According to Jewish tradition, use of the Urim and the Thummim ceased when Jerusalem was desolated and her temple destroyed in 607 B.C.E. by the Babylonian armies under King Nebuchadnezzar. (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 48b) This view is supported by what we read regarding these objects in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. There, certain men who were claimants to priestly descent, but who could not find their names in the public register, were told that they could not eat from the most holy things provided for the priesthood until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim. But there is no record of their use at that time, and thereafter the Bible makes no further reference to these sacred objects.—Ezra 2:61-63; Nehemiah 7:63-65.
So after the Urim and Thummim were discontinued, Jehovah made known his will to Israel by his written Word, also by prophets and by dreams. But it seems that prophets and dreams were used for special occasions, whereas the high priest with the Urim and the Thummim was always present with the people up to 607 B.C.E.
Consulting the Urim and Thummim was said to be permitted for determining territorial boundaries, and was said to be required, in addition to permission from the king or a prophet, if there was an intention to expand Jerusalem or the Temple in Jerusalem; however, these rabbinical sources did question, or at least tried to justify, why Urim and Thummim would be required when a prophet was also present. The classical rabbinical writers argued that the Urim and Thummim were only permitted to be consulted by very prominent figures such as army generals, the most senior of court figures, and kings, and the only questions which could be raised were those which were asked for the benefit of the people as a whole.
Since the priestly source, which textual scholars date to a couple of centuries prior to the captivity, doesn't appear to know what the Urim and Thummim looked like, and there is no mention of the Urim and Thummim in the Deuteronomic history beyond the death of David, scholars suspect that use of them (the Urim and the Thummim) decayed some time before the Babylonian conquest, probably as a result of the growing influence of prophets at that time.
Greater High Priest Consults Jehovah.
Although this section as related to Jesus Christ as the greater High Priest, is in the research I found in the section of the Urim and the Thummim, at this point, I see no connection between the Urim and the Thummim and Jesus Christ, except that before 607 B.C.E. the High Priest then used the Urim and the Thummim to assist in making their decisions in answer to questions and that after 1914 C.E. Jehovah relied on His Son Jesus Christ to represent Him. Somehow, I guess that there is supposed to be a link. So the research continues.
Jesus Christ is described in Paul’s letter to the Hebrews as the great King-Priest according to the manner of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19, 20; 7:1-3) In him kingship and priesthood are combined. His (Jesus) priestly work was foreshadowed by that of the high priest of ancient Israel. (Hebrews 8:3-5; 9:6-12)
Some modern day religions may have claimed use of them in making their decisions, but there is no scriptural proof or even slight evidence to validate their claim. Therefore, it should be concluded that any modern day, or even after the established date of 607 B.C.E. usage is unscriptural and has no Christian or Biblical foundation.
These would be drawn, giving the answer to the question asked, unless the blank piece was drawn, in which case a “no” answer was forthcoming. On one occasion, when Saul had inquired through the priest as to whether to resume an attack on the Philistines, he received no answer (or he didn't receive any answer). Feeling that someone among his men had sinned, he petitioned: “O God of Israel, do give Thummim!” Saul and Jonathan were taken from among those present; after that, lots were cast to decide between the two. In this account the appeal, “Do give Thummim,” seems to be separate from the lot casting, though it may give indication that there was some connection between the two.—1Sa 14:36-42.
Although the Scriptures never describe these objects or their exact method of use, different passages seem to imply that they were employed as lots that would result in either a “yes” answer, a “no” answer, or no answer at all from God. They were for “the judgments of the sons of Israel” and were used when a question of importance to the national leaders and consequently to the nation itself needed an answer from Jehovah. Jehovah, who is Israel’s Lawgiver, would give an answer to the high priest as to the right course to pursue on any matter.—Ex 28:30.
Use of the Urim and the Thummim seems to have ceased in 607 B.C.E. when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.—Ex 28:30; Ne 7:65. According to Jewish tradition, use of the Urim and the Thummim ceased when Jerusalem was desolated and her temple destroyed in 607 B.C.E. by the Babylonian armies under King Nebuchadnezzar. (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 48b) This view is supported by what we read regarding these objects in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. There, certain men who were claimants to priestly descent, but who could not find their names in the public register, were told that they could not eat from the most holy things provided for the priesthood until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim. But there is no record of their use at that time, and thereafter the Bible makes no further reference to these sacred objects.—Ezra 2:61-63; Nehemiah 7:63-65.
So after the Urim and Thummim were discontinued, Jehovah made known his will to Israel by his written Word, also by prophets and by dreams. But it seems that prophets and dreams were used for special occasions, whereas the high priest with the Urim and the Thummim was always present with the people up to 607 B.C.E.
Consulting the Urim and Thummim was said to be permitted for determining territorial boundaries, and was said to be required, in addition to permission from the king or a prophet, if there was an intention to expand Jerusalem or the Temple in Jerusalem; however, these rabbinical sources did question, or at least tried to justify, why Urim and Thummim would be required when a prophet was also present. The classical rabbinical writers argued that the Urim and Thummim were only permitted to be consulted by very prominent figures such as army generals, the most senior of court figures, and kings, and the only questions which could be raised were those which were asked for the benefit of the people as a whole.
Since the priestly source, which textual scholars date to a couple of centuries prior to the captivity, doesn't appear to know what the Urim and Thummim looked like, and there is no mention of the Urim and Thummim in the Deuteronomic history beyond the death of David, scholars suspect that use of them (the Urim and the Thummim) decayed some time before the Babylonian conquest, probably as a result of the growing influence of prophets at that time.
Greater High Priest Consults Jehovah.
Although this section as related to Jesus Christ as the greater High Priest, is in the research I found in the section of the Urim and the Thummim, at this point, I see no connection between the Urim and the Thummim and Jesus Christ, except that before 607 B.C.E. the High Priest then used the Urim and the Thummim to assist in making their decisions in answer to questions and that after 1914 C.E. Jehovah relied on His Son Jesus Christ to represent Him. Somehow, I guess that there is supposed to be a link. So the research continues.
Jesus Christ is described in Paul’s letter to the Hebrews as the great King-Priest according to the manner of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19, 20; 7:1-3) In him kingship and priesthood are combined. His (Jesus) priestly work was foreshadowed by that of the high priest of ancient Israel. (Hebrews 8:3-5; 9:6-12)
Some modern day religions may have claimed use of them in making their decisions, but there is no scriptural proof or even slight evidence to validate their claim. Therefore, it should be concluded that any modern day, or even after the established date of 607 B.C.E. usage is unscriptural and has no Christian or Biblical foundation.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Urim & Thummim discussion
A number of Bible commentators believe that the Urim and the Thummim were lots. Some suppose that they consisted of three pieces, one inscribed with the word “yes,” one with “no,” and the other blank. Others think that they may have been two flat stones, white on one side and black on the other. When thrown down, two white sides up would mean “yes,” two black sides “no,” and a black and a white would mean no answer (or that the answer would come at some later date).
Urim and Thummim has traditionally been translated as lights and perfections or as meaning revelation and truth, or doctrine and truth. The singular forms—ur and tumm—have been connected by some early scholars with the Babylonian terms urtu and tamitu, meaning oracle and command, respectively. Many scholars now believe that אוּרִים (Urim) simply derives from the Hebrew term אּרּרִים (Arrim), meaning curses, and thus that Urim and Thummim essentially means cursed or faultless, in reference to the deity's judgment of an accused person— in other words, Urim and Thummim were used to answer the question of innocent or guilty.
1 Samuel 14:41 is regarded by biblical scholars as key to understanding the Urim and Thummim; the passage describes an attempt to identify a sinner via divination, by repeatedly splitting the people into two groups and identifying which group contains the sinner. In the version of this passage in the Masoretic Text, it describes Saul and Jonathan being separated from the rest of the people, and lots being cast between them; the Septuagint version, however, states that Urim would indicate Saul and Jonathan, while Thummim would indicate the people.
The fact that since the Urim and Thummim were put inside this pouch suggests that they were presumably small and fairly flat, maybe oval and were possibly smooth rocks or small tablets of wood or of bone.
Considering the scholars' conclusion that Urim essentially means guilty and Thummim essentially means innocent, this would imply that the purpose of the Urim and Thummim was an ordeal to confirm or deny suspected guilt; if the Urim was selected it meant guilt, while selection of the Thummim would mean innocence.
On a side note:
According to Islamic sources, there was a similar form of divination among the Arabs before the beginning of Islam. There, two arrow shafts (without heads or feathers), on one of which was written command and the other prohibition or similar, were kept in a container, and stored in the Kaaba at Mecca; whenever someone wished to know whether to get married, go on a journey, or to make some other similar decision, one of the Kaaba's guardians would randomly pull one of the arrow shafts out of the container, and the word written upon it was said to indicate the will of the god concerning the matter in question. Sometimes a third, blank, arrow shaft would be used, to represent the refusal of the deity to give an answer. This practice is called rhabdomancy, after the Greek roots rhabd- "rod" and - mancy ("divination").
Urim and Thummim has traditionally been translated as lights and perfections or as meaning revelation and truth, or doctrine and truth. The singular forms—ur and tumm—have been connected by some early scholars with the Babylonian terms urtu and tamitu, meaning oracle and command, respectively. Many scholars now believe that אוּרִים (Urim) simply derives from the Hebrew term אּרּרִים (Arrim), meaning curses, and thus that Urim and Thummim essentially means cursed or faultless, in reference to the deity's judgment of an accused person— in other words, Urim and Thummim were used to answer the question of innocent or guilty.
1 Samuel 14:41 is regarded by biblical scholars as key to understanding the Urim and Thummim; the passage describes an attempt to identify a sinner via divination, by repeatedly splitting the people into two groups and identifying which group contains the sinner. In the version of this passage in the Masoretic Text, it describes Saul and Jonathan being separated from the rest of the people, and lots being cast between them; the Septuagint version, however, states that Urim would indicate Saul and Jonathan, while Thummim would indicate the people.
The fact that since the Urim and Thummim were put inside this pouch suggests that they were presumably small and fairly flat, maybe oval and were possibly smooth rocks or small tablets of wood or of bone.
Considering the scholars' conclusion that Urim essentially means guilty and Thummim essentially means innocent, this would imply that the purpose of the Urim and Thummim was an ordeal to confirm or deny suspected guilt; if the Urim was selected it meant guilt, while selection of the Thummim would mean innocence.
On a side note:
According to Islamic sources, there was a similar form of divination among the Arabs before the beginning of Islam. There, two arrow shafts (without heads or feathers), on one of which was written command and the other prohibition or similar, were kept in a container, and stored in the Kaaba at Mecca; whenever someone wished to know whether to get married, go on a journey, or to make some other similar decision, one of the Kaaba's guardians would randomly pull one of the arrow shafts out of the container, and the word written upon it was said to indicate the will of the god concerning the matter in question. Sometimes a third, blank, arrow shaft would be used, to represent the refusal of the deity to give an answer. This practice is called rhabdomancy, after the Greek roots rhabd- "rod" and - mancy ("divination").
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