Urim and Thummim Answer

Urim and Thummim are terms found exclusively in the Old Testament. The etymology of אוּרים and תּמּים, can be found in several Hebrew word references. Although Strong's Concordance has long been one of the standards in Bible word references, it is not without fault. The transliteration of Yahweh's name is one of the major errors to be found. Let's look at the word etymology for the words Urim & Thummim.

H217
אוּר
'ûr
oor
From H215; flame, hence (in the plural) the East (as being the region of light): - fire, light. See also H224.

H215
אור
'ôr
ore
A primitive root; to be (causatively make) luminous (literally and metaphorically): - X break of day, glorious, kindle, (be, en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.

H224
אוּרים
'ûrîym
oo-reem'
Plural of H217; lights; Urim, the oracular brilliancy of the figures in the high priest’s breastplate: - Urim.

Now we will compare this with the BDB. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon is the standard reference work for serious Old Testament study!

H217
אוּר
'ûr
BDB Definition:
1) flame, light of fire
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H215
Same Word by TWOT (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) [Emphasis mine] Number: 52d

H215
אור
'ôr
BDB Definition:
1) to be or become light, shine
1a) *(Qal)
1a1) to become light (day)
1a2) to shine (of the sun)
1a3) to become bright
1b) *(Niphal)
1b1) to be illuminated
1b2) to become lighted up
1c) *(Hiphil)
1c1) to give light, shine (of sun, moon, and stars)
1c2) to illumine, light up, cause to shine, shine
1c3) to kindle, light (candle, wood)
1c4) lighten (of the eyes, his law, etc)
1c5) to make shine (of the face)
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT [ibid] Number: 52

*Something that must be clearly understood is that part of the procedure of classifying words into their categories of meanings will involve your understanding the verbal stems, i.e., qal, niphal, piel, pual, hithpael, hiphil, hophal, and the lesser stems.

H224
אוּרים
'ûrîym
BDB Definition:
Urim = “lights”
1) stones kept in a pouch on the high-priest’s breastplate, used in determining Yahweh’s decision in certain questions and issues.
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: plural of H217

H8550
תּמּים
tûmmîym
toom-meem'
Plural of H8537; perfections, that is, (technically) one of the epithets of the objects in the high priest’s breastplate as an emblem of complete Truth: - Thummim.

H8537
תּם
tôm
tome
From H8552; completeness; figuratively prosperity; usually (morally) innocence: - full, integrity, perfect (-ion), simplicity, upright (-ly, -ness), at a venture. See H8550.

H8550
תּמּים
tûmmîym
BDB Definition:
Thummim = “perfection”
1) stones provided for the means of achieving a sacred lot
1a) used with the Urim, the will of G-d was revealed
Part of Speech: noun proper masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: plural of H8537

H8537
תּם
tôm
BDB Definition:
1) integrity, completeness
1a) completeness, fulness
1b) innocence, simplicity
1c) integrity
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H8552
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2522a

H8552
תּמם
tâmam
BDB Definition:
1) to be complete, be finished, be at an end
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be finished, be completed
1a1a) completely, wholly, entirely (as auxiliary with verb)
1a2) to be finished, come to an end, cease
1a3) to be complete (of number)
1a4) to be consumed, be exhausted, be spent
1a5) to be finished, be consumed, be destroyed
1a6) to be complete, be sound, be unimpaired, be upright
1a7) to complete, finish
1a8) to be completely crossed over
1b) (Niphal) to be consumed
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to finish, complete, perfect
1c2) to finish, cease doing, leave off doing
1c3) to complete, sum up, make whole
1c4) to destroy (uncleanness)
1c5) to make sound
1d) (Hithpael) to deal in integrity, act uprightly
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2522

Application of Hebrew words and terms are defined by context and scripture placement. What is the passage talking about? This usually defines the word being used and its application. Remember; that before vowels were placed in the text to aid in word pronunciation, there were the matres lectionis or vowel letters. These letters gave the reader correct pronunciation and application, such as, why that word was being used in that particular passage! Experience and understanding the mechanics of the Hebrew language are really necessary to correctly determine what is being said.

If we look at the definitions for Urim & Thummim we see lights and perfections. When truth is brought to light, it is perfect. The two terms light and truth can co-exist in the Urim term.

And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, glory as of an only begotten from the Father, full of grace and of truth. John 1:14

Yahshua the Messiah was the light that came down out of the heavens. He was full of the light and truth of Abba Yahweh! Lights and perfections were within his heart. He was perfect in all of his ways. Just a little insight for you Renee! The implications of the Urim and Thummim in Aaron's breastplate pointed to Yahshua the High Priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood!

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men;
and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. John 1:4-5

The light-truth shines into darkness-lies and the darkness could not master it. Darkness is dispelled by light!

The etymological signification of the words, at least as indicated by the Masoretic punctuation, is sufficiently plain. Urim is derived from the Hebrew for "light", or "to give light", and Thummim from "completeness", "perfection", or "innocence". In view of these derivations it is surmised by some scholars that the sacred lot may have had a twofold purpose in trial ordeals, viz. Urim served to bring to light the guilt of the accused person, and Thummim to establish his innocence.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Objects connected with the breastplate of the high priest, and used as a kind of divine oracle. Since the days of the Alexandrian translators of the Old Testament it has been asserted that אוּרים and תּמּים mean "revelation and truth" (δήλωσις καὶ ἀλήθεια), or "lights and perfections" (φωτισμοὶ καὶ τελεότητες); the τελειότης καὶ διδαχή of Symmachus (Jerome, "perfectio et doctrina"; Field, "Hexapla" on Deut. xxxiii. 8); and the φωτισμοί καὶ τελειώσεις of Aquila and Theodotion.

The Jewish Encyclopedia-Article: URIM AND THUMMIM.
By : Emil G. Hirsch W. Muss-Arnolt Wilhelm Bacher Ludwig Blau

Urim and Thummim (in the Bible)
Urim and Thummim The sacred lot by means of which the ancient Hebrews were wont to seek manifestations of the Divine will. Two other channels of Divine communication were recognized, viz. dreams and prophetical utterance, as we learn from numerous passages of the Old Testament. The three forms are mentioned together in 1 Samuel 28:6. "And he (Saul) consulted the L-rd, and he answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by priests (Hebrew, Urim, LXX delois), not by the prophets." There can be no doubt that in this instance the Douay translation of "priests" is wrong, based on the mistaken rendering "sacerdotes" of the Latin Vulgate. The etymological signification of the words, at least as indicated by the Masoretic punctuation, is sufficiently plain. Urim is derived from the Hebrew for "light", or "to give light", and Thummim from "completeness", "perfection", or "innocence". In view of these derivations it is surmised by some scholars that the sacred lot may have had a twofold purpose in trial ordeals, viz. Urim served to bring to light the guilt of the accused person, and Thummim to establish his innocence.

The following are considered stones of fire, like the one at the beginning of this answer page.

The point I am making is that these breastplates are decorated or embedded with beautiful stones. Many of these stones are just brilliant, beautiful to behold! When light is shined upon them they just sparkle, they glow with brilliance! Look at this cut and polished synthetic diamond under the right lighting, and see the brilliance of the many facets.

When Aaron needed answers from Abba Yahweh on the harder issues, the Urim & Thummim were inquired of. The yes or no answer came through supernatural intervention.

The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of Yahweh. Proverbs 16:33

When King Saul did not follow the commands given to him by Yahweh, the spirit departed from him. He then tried to get an answer by consulting the Urim. Here is what happened.

And when Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 1 Samuel 28:6

Here we see three ways that Almighty Yahweh usually answered His people. By dreams, by prophets and by Urim from the High Priest.

King Saul wanted a yes or no answer and in this same passage you see the answer for Saul's inquiry.

"And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and Yahweh is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known unto me what I shall do." 1 Samuel 28:15

The Urim and Thummim provided a yes or no answer that was cast into the lap of the high priest. This system was Abba Yahweh's way of stamping His approval on the answer so there would be no questions as to His intended answer or course of action.

They had to re-establish Urim and Thummim in the return from Babylon captivity in the era of Ezra and Nehemiah. See Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65.

So in conclusion we can see Urim & Thummim mean "lights and perfections." But Renee: You can also reason for fire and truth as well. I don't think it would be a stretch to see the glow in these stones from Yahweh's supernatural lighting and also the breastplate stones by His Shekinah glory and power.

"Also if Strongs concordance interprets the sacred name YHVH (H3068) to mean Jehovah the proper name of the one true G-d and it is clearly not what you teach', then why do you use the Strong's definitions for all your articles? Can this source be trusted?"

Again Renee it becomes a matter of understanding the mechanics of the Hebrew language. Also you need to know the Hebrew letters, the vowel pointing, and the words *tri-literal root. This will aid in pronunciation, application and understanding.

*Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament.

The following is an excerpt from Hebrew Grammar by Wilhelm Gesenius, Oxford University Press, Amen House, London; 2nd English Edition 1910; page 100.

*The law of the Triliteral stem [a three letter root word] is so strictly observed in the formation of verbs and nouns in Hebrew (and in the Semitic languages generally), that the language has sometimes adopted artificial methods to preserve at least an appearance of the triliteralism in monosyllabic stems, e.g. שבת for the inf. constr. of verbs פ''ו; cf. §69b. Conversely such nouns, as אב father, אם mother, אח brother, which were formerly all regarded as original monosyllabic forms (nomina primitiva), may, in some cases at least, have arisen from mutilation of a triliteral stem.

On the other hand, a large number of triliteral stems really point to a biliteral base, which may be properly called a root (radix primaria, bilitteralis) [What we have chosen to call a Parent Root], since it forms the starting-point for several triliteral modifications of the same fundamental idea. Though in themselves unpronounceable, these roots are usually pronounced with "a" between the two consonants, and are represented in writing by the sign a, e.g. aכר as the root of כרר, כרה, כור, אכר. The reduction of a stem to the underlying root may generally be accomplished with certainty when the stem exhibits one weak consonant [The four Hebrew letters, aleph, hey, wau and yod, which at one time served as vowels as well as consonants.] with two strong ones [The remainder of the Hebrew alphabet.], or when the second and third consonants are identical [This root we have chosen to call the Child Root]. Thus e.g. the stems דכה, דוך, דכא, דכך may all be traced to the idea of striking, breaking, and the root common to them all is evidently the two strong consonants דך (dakh). Very frequently, however, the development of the root into a stem is effected by the addition of a strong consonant, especially, it seems, a sibilant, liquid or guttural [This root we have chosen to call Adopted Roots].

H3068
יהוה
yehôvâh
yeh-ho-vaw'
From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of G-d: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.

H3068
יהוה
yehôvâh
BDB Definition:
Jehovah = “the existing One”
1) the proper name of the one true G-d
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of H136
Part of Speech: noun proper deity
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H1961
Same Word by TWOT Number: 484a

H1961
היה
hâyâh
BDB Definition:
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) -----
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root [compare H1933]
Same Word by TWOT Number: 491

ויאמר אלהים אל־משׁה אהיה אשׁר אהיה ויאמר כה תאמר לבני ישׂראל אהיה שׁלחני אליכם׃ Exodus 3:14

Renee: What do you see here? You see four Hebrew letters representing Yahweh's Name. These are also called the Tetragrammaton. These also have the distinction of being called matres lectionis or vowel letters. The first in reading from right to left, (The way Hebrew is read) is yod then hey, then waw and then another hey. These Hebrew letters transliterate into the YHWH as all good scholars attest. Vocalized as Yahweh!

The V is not in the Sacred Name of Yahweh. In order to obtain the V sound or letter, you must provide the letter that will become B or B sounding!

Consonantal Alphabet: 22 Letters

Letter	Name	Scientific Transcription	Popular Transcription
א	אָלֶף	'	'
בּ	בֵּית	b	b
ב	בֵּית	v	v
ג	גִימֶל	g	g
ג'‏	גִימֶל	ğ	gh
ד	דָלֶת	d	d
ה	הֵא	h	h
ו	וָו	v	v
ז	זַיִן	z	z
ז'‏	זַיִן	ž	zh
ח	חֵית	x	kh
ט	טֵית	t	t
י	יוֹד	j	y
כּ	כָּף	k	k
כ		x	kh
* ך		x	kh
ל	לָמֶד	l	l
מ	מֵם	m	m
* ם	מֵם	m	m
נ	נוּן	n	n
* ן	נוּן	n	n
ס	סָמֶך	s	s
ע	עַיִן	'	'
פּ	פֵּא	p	p
פ		f	f
* ף		f	f
צ	צָדִי	c	ts
* ץ		c	ts
צ'‏		č	tsh
* ץ'‏‏‏		č	tsh
ק	קוֹף	k	k
ר	רֵיש	r	r
שׁ	שִין	š	sh
שׂ	שִׂין	s	s
ת	תָו	t	t

Renee; observe the area I have highlighted. You will see the letter B. Notice the dot in the bosom of the first B letter. Now; notice the second B letter without the dot in the bosom. Each B letter will have a different sound when vocalized. The first B with the dot has a hard sound, i.e. B=bee. The second B without the dot has a softened sound V=vee. Bet - is pronounced V without the dagesh, and B with the dagesh.

Pronunciation:

As in Arabic, pronunciation of letters is modified by the presence or absence of a dot (dagesh) inside the letter. In Hebrew, the dagesh is always placed in certain letters at the beginning of words and of syllables. These letters are Bet ,Gimmel, Dalet, Khaf, Phey (Pe) and Tau. In modern Hebrew, only three of these letters are pronounced differently with the dagesh:

Zionism and Israel - Encyclopedic Dictionary
Hebrew - Alphabet, grammar, transliteration and pronunciation

So Renee; you can use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance for word search and understanding, if you apply the mechanics of the Hebrew language correctly. You must learn to see the letters being used, transliterate them correctly, and then pronounce them as they are brought across (transliterated) into the English language. The same applies in using BDB (Brown, Driver, Briggs) or any other Hebrew lexicon.

Renee's third part of her three part question:

Weren't the very first disciples to believe that Yahoshua was the Messiah literally Messianic Jews? (Noting your article on Messianic Judaism.) If so then is this not where Messianic Judaism began or are you referring to following oral torah also?

First Off Renee, Yahshua's name is without the O. Simply Yahshua! I have answered and explained this Hebrew grammatical necessity in this article:

By extension you could say the first believers were Jewish people that believed that Yahshua was the Messiah. But the appellation "Messianic Jews" was of later derivation i.e. circa 1800.

I believe Renee; my trouble with calling the disciples and converts to Yahshua, "Messianic Jews" would be as follows:

Nowhere in the Bible is this terminology applied to the Apostles and disciples of Yahshua the Messiah! And; how would you apply the term to Gentile converts? Would they become Messianic Jews by conversion? Notwithstanding, the terminology Jew (Jewish) is usually applied to only one tribe; Judah! Would this then be a blanket term? Or would it be a restricted term? I am not trying to be contentious here, only Biblically correct. We cannot apply terms that do not exist, even esoterically!

Logically Renee; what were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Would you call them Messianic Jews? They believed in and looked for a Messiah? Or would you call Abraham a Hebrew and the father of all Hebrews? Remember Judah came from the loins of his father Jacob, as did all of the twelve tribes. Eventually these tribes became divided ten and two. The two being Judah and Benjamin. If we follow history and the whereabouts of each, we will be able to come to a conclusion.

Because the Jewish people dwelt in the land of Israel, they were known as Jews, as they are today! Yahweh will save the tents of Judah first, Zechariah 12:7 Also; it was the Jew first and then the Gentiles, Romans 1:16. And Yahshua came to his own and they received him not! Yahshua was King of the Jews and originated from the tribe of Judah. How would you define Him? A Messianic Jew, as he was both Messiah and a Jew?

And no; I do not believe in the Oral Torah as defined by the Rabbinate! The oracles of Yahweh spoken of in Romans chapter three, is the Torah given at Mount Sinai! Remember; Yahweh spoke? The people ran away? They asked Moses to get the oracles and they would do them? Oracles-Spoken words! The first five books A.K.A. The five books of Moses?

Hebrew letter	Name of Hebrew letter	General purpose	More strict	in TeX type:	draft ISO/TC46/SC2 standard	remarks
	aleph	(nothing)	'	'	`	vowel stop letter
	bet	b	b	b	b	without dagesh: vet
	vet	v	v	v	b
	gimel	g	g	g	g	g as in goal, grand
	gimel-tchuptchik	j	dzh	j,dzh	g'	English J as in John, Russian Dzh as in Dzhuk
	dalet	d	d	d	d
	hey	h (*)	h (*)	h (*)	h	(h) or nothing if silent hey (at end of word)
	wau	w, o, u	w, o, u	w, o, u	w, o, u	o or u if used as vowel
	zayin	z	z	z	z
	zayin-tchuptchik	zh	zh	zh	z'	French j as in jardin or Jabotinsky, Russian zh as in Zhukov or Zhabotinskii
	chet	ch	h	\d{h}	x	Arabic 'het as in 'Hamas - a very soft Ch sound made from the throat.
	tet	t	t	t	@	obsolete: tt
	yod	i,y	i,y	i,y	i,y	depending on context either an "ee" sound or "y" as in "year" "your"
	kaf	k	c	k	k	without dagesh: chaf
	chaf	ch	kh	ch,kh	k	harsher "kh" sound like in Loch Ness, Tutankhamon; Dutch "ch" (made by pressing back of tongue against palate)
	lamed	l	l	l	l
	mem	m	m	m	m
	nun	n	n	n	n
	samech	s	s	\d{s}	s	obsolete: ss
	ayin		`	`	&	vowel stop (Ashkenazi), deep throat sound (Oriental) -intermediate in standard Hebrew.
	pe	p	p	p	p	without dagesh: fe
	fe	f	ph	f,ph	p
	tzadik	tz,ts	z	\d{z}	c	German z (ts) as in Weizmann, Zimmer; Polish c
	tzadik-tchuptchik	tch,tsh	ch	tch,ch	c'	Russian Tch as in Tchaikovski
	kof	k	q	k,q	q	guttural, deeper than k (Oriental pron.)
	resh	r	r	r	r	rolling r
	shin	sh	sh	sh	$	without mappik: (dot) sin
	sin (seen)	s	s	s	$'	s as in Israel
	tau	th	t	t	t	in Yiddish: and without dagesh (dot) in Ashkenzic Hebrew, pronounced as s