Who was Urim in the Bible?
The Urim, along with the Thummim, were objects used by the high priest of Israel to seek divine guidance and revelation from God. They are first mentioned in Exodus 28:30, where God instructs Moses to place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of the high priest's ephod, a special garment worn during religious ceremonies. Urim appears in 8 verses across 7 books of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Urim?
The Urim, along with the Thummim, were objects used by the high priest of Israel to seek divine guidance and revelation from God. They are first mentioned in Exodus 28:30, where God instructs Moses to place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of the high priest's ephod, a special garment worn during religious ceremonies. The exact nature and appearance of the Urim are not described in detail in the Bible. Some scholars suggest that they may have been precious stones or small objects inscribed with sacred symbols. The Urim, whose name is derived from the Hebrew word for "light" or "revelation," were likely associated with the concept of divine illumination and guidance. In Numbers 27:21, God instructs Moses to have the high priest, Eleazar, use the Urim to seek divine guidance on behalf of Joshua and the Israelites. This suggests that the Urim, along with the Thummim, were used in a process of divination to discern God's will and direction. The Urim and Thummim are also mentioned in Deu.33.8, where Moses blesses the tribe of Levi and associates the Urim and Thummim with their priestly role. In 1Sa.28.6, it is noted that when Saul inquired of the Lord, He did not answer him by dreams, Urim, or prophets, indicating that the Urim was one of the means by which God communicated with His people. In Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65, the Urim and Thummim are mentioned as being absent during the post-exilic period, indicating that the means of seeking divine guidance through these objects had been lost. The use of the Urim, along with the Thummim, emphasizes the importance of seeking God's guidance and revelation in the religious life of ancient Israel. These objects were seen as a means of discerning the divine will and were closely associated with the role and authority of the high priest.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Urim appear in the Bible?
Urim is referenced in 8 verses across 7 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Samuel 14:41
- 1 Samuel 28:6
- Deuteronomy 33:8
- Exodus 28:30
- Ezra 2:63
- Leviticus 8:8
- Nehemiah 7:65
- Numbers 27:21
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Urim.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Urim?
Urim appears in 8 verses across 7 books, most often in 1 Samuel, which accounts for 2 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Urim?
1 Samuel, Deuteronomy, Exodus, Ezra, Leviticus, Nehemiah, Numbers.
Where can I read every verse about Urim?
This page lists 8 of them. Protos carries all 8, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
