the Old Testament mentions a urim and a thummim. What are these?

Answer 1

Nobody knows for certain. Urim and Thummim were placed in the breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 28: 30) and were used as a means of communication with God. They mean "light" and "perfection". Unfortunately, they are not actually described anywhere in the Bible. Some theories maintain that they were twelve stones that made up part of the High Priest's garments. The process of how communication with God is achieved is not given either.

Answer 2

Thummim is widely considered to be derived from the consonantal root תּמִם, meaning faultless, while Urim has traditionally been taken to derive from a root meaning lights; these derivations are reflected in the Neqqudot of the masoretic text. In consequence, Urim and Thummim has traditionally been translated as lights and perfections , or, by taking the phrase allegorically, as meaning revelation and truth, or doctrine and truth
However, although at face value the words are plural, the context suggests they are pluralis intensivus - singular words which are pluralised to enhance their apparent majesty. 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 Urim simply derives from the Hebrew term Arrim, meaning curses, and thus that Urim and Thummim essentially means cursed or faultless, in reference to the deity's view of an accused - in other words that Urim and Thummim concern the question of innocent or guilty?

Answer 3

Urim b'tumim is the breast plate that the cohanim [high preist] wears around his neck like a bling, bling...... lol, also this breast plate has 12 gem stones etched into the plate representing each tribe of the children of Israel, every tribe has it's own color of gem stone, and it was a tool used to determine a subject matter that someone couldn't find a solution for.

By the question being asked one of the stones which ever lit up, that would be the answer the person/judge was looking for to the solution.

It would be mainly used for the purpose of guilt or inosense, however, I would like someone to tell me wether the urim v'tummim could be used to answer the questions of which jew belongs to which tribe?

That's what I'd like to know wether the urim v'tummim would be the tool used for that purpose too, since today we have seemed to have lost the way of identifying the tribes.

Answer 4

The Urim and Thummim were advanced communication device and or devices God taught Moses and Aaron to make to get answers from God for their many questions concerning leading their newly formed nation of the God Yahweh. It was made out of gold with 12 different pieces of Chrystal. How exactly it worked or if it still exists somewhere is still a mystery.

Answer 5

Urim and Thummim, generally translated as "lights and perfections" or "revelation and truth" were a scrying medium or divination process used by ancient Hebrews (usually Israelites) in revealing the will of God on a contested point of view or other problem. According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they were also used to translate ancient manuscripts, including The Book of Mormon however, their recorded use by Joseph Smith, Jr. is not in conjunction with their recorded historical use by the Hebrews.

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.

Answer 6

The Urim and Thummim were oracular stones. Later on, Joseph Smith presumable used these to decode the golden leafs that make up the Book of Mormon.

Answer 7

They were pieces of parchment on which, it is believed, various names of God were written. These were kept inside the High Priest's breastplate and the High Priest, through various methods, used these names as a conduit for prophesy to answer questions regarding interpretations of biblical law.

These were hidden away, or lost, when the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians.

Answer 8

"lights and perfections", or by taking the phrase allegorically, as meaning "revelation and truth", or "doctrine and truth"

Answer 9

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/search?type=words&last=urim+and+thummin&help=&wo=checked&search=Urim+and+Thummim&iw=scriptures&tx=checked&af=checked&hw=checked&sw=checked

Answer 10

Urinary tract obstructions?