224. Urim
Lexicon
Urim: Urim

Original Word: אוּרִים
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Uwriym
Pronunciation: oo-reem'
Phonetic Spelling: (oo-reem')
Definition: Urim
Meaning: Urim

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Urim

Plur of 'uwr; lights; Urim, the oracular brilliancy of the figures in the high-priest's breastplate -- Urim.

see HEBREW 'uwr

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
pl. of ur
Definition
part of the high priest's breastplate
NASB Translation
Urim (7).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
אֻרִים noun [masculine] plural region of light, East Isaiah 24:15 (so Ges MV Ew De Di RV; Lo Hi Kn Che read איים = coasts, so Cdd. ᵐ5; — ᵐ5 mostly omit ᵑ9 in doctrina, thinking of Urim, see BrMP 297).

אוּרִים noun masculine Urim (plural intensive, mostly with article the Urim, and mostly joined with תֻּמִּים q. v.) תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ הֲסִידֶךָ Deuteronomy 33:8 thy Thummim and thy Urim has the man of thy favour, i.e. the Levite tested at Massah & Meribah; הָאוּרִים וְהִתֻּמִּים were put into the חשֶׁן הִמִּשְׁמָּט of the high priest Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8 (P); this חשֶׁן (q. v.) was a little bag or pouch worn on breast of high, priest, to hold the Urim & Thummim; the name הַמִּשְׁמָּט ׳ח was given because of decisions made by that which was within it; thus, Eleazar was to inquire of ׳י for Joshua בְּמִשְׁמַּט הָאוּרִים Numbers 27:21 (P); Saul prayed הָבָה אוּרִים opposed to הבה תֻּמִּים, 1 Samuel 14:41 ᵐ5, so We Dr (ᵑ0 omits former, and reads תָּמִים in latter); ׳י did not answer Saul בָּאוּרִים or by dreams or prophets 1 Samuel 28:6; post-exilic Jews reserved difficult questions until there stood up a priest לְאוּרִים וּלְתֻמִּים Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65 (here alone without article) These passages give little information; ᵐ5 δήλωσις καὶ ἀλήθεια, ᵑ9 doctrina et veritas, Symm φωτισμοὶ καὶ τελεώτητες; JosAnt. iii. 8. 9 thinks of the twelve gems of face of bag as giving decision by shining; PhiloVit. Mos. iii thinks of two small images (׳א & ׳ת), probably embroidered in the cloth of the bag, like oracle-images of Egypt (Diod1,48, 75 AelianVar. Hist.14, 34); EwGeschichte iii, 309; Antiq. 295, of two stones of different colours for sacred lot, on this see Dr 1 Samuel 14:41 where ᵐ5 אוּרִים & תֻּמִּים as object of give, δος = הָבָה; compare הִמִּילוּ 1 Samuel 14:42, וַיִלָּכֵד 1 Samuel 14:41 (used of taking by lot 1 Samuel 10:20; Isaiah 7:14,16); see also We & RSOTJC Lect x. N 4; BährSymbolik, of one thing within bag, a sacred pledge to high priest of the enlightenment & perfection he would receive from ׳י when called to make sacred decisions; KaEx 544 sees the sacred pledge in the twelve sacred gems themselves, that stimulate priest to self-sacrifice & perfect sanctification.

Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root אוּר (ur), meaning "light" or "fire."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: G5321: φῶς (phōs) • meaning "light," which aligns with the concept of illumination associated with Urim.
G5461: φωτίζω (phōtizō) • meaning "to give light" or "to illuminate," reflecting the idea of divine enlightenment or revelation linked to the Urim.

The Urim, as part of the priestly tradition, underscores the importance of seeking divine guidance and the belief in God's active role in guiding the decisions of His people. Its presence in the high priest's breastplate symbolizes the centrality of divine wisdom and truth in the governance and spiritual life of Israel.

Usage: Urim is used in the context of the priestly garments and the process of seeking divine guidance. It is mentioned in the context of the high priest's breastplate, where it was used to discern God's will.

Context: Urim is one of the two objects, along with the Thummim, that were placed in the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest of Israel. The Urim and Thummim were used as a means of divine communication, particularly in making decisions or discerning God's will in matters of national importance. The exact nature and method of their use remain a subject of scholarly debate, but they are believed to have functioned as a form of casting lots or as a symbolic representation of divine illumination and truth.

The Urim is first mentioned in Exodus 28:30, where God instructs Moses to place the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate of judgment. The high priest would carry these objects over his heart when entering the presence of the Lord, symbolizing the pursuit of divine guidance for the people of Israel. In Numbers 27:21, the Urim is used to seek counsel from the Lord, indicating its role in decision-making processes.

The Urim and Thummim are also referenced in 1 Samuel 28:6, where King Saul seeks guidance from the Lord but receives no answer through dreams, prophets, or the Urim. This highlights the Urim's role as a recognized means of divine communication, although its use appears to have diminished over time, with fewer mentions in later biblical texts.

Forms and Transliterations
בָּאוּרִ֖ים באורים הָאוּרִ֖ים הָאוּרִים֙ האורים וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ ואוריך לְאוּרִ֥ים לאורים bā’ūrîm bā·’ū·rîm bauRim hā’ūrîm hā·’ū·rîm hauRim lə’ūrîm lə·’ū·rîm leuRim veuReicha wə’ūreḵā wə·’ū·re·ḵā
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 28:30
HEB: הַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט אֶת־ הָאוּרִים֙ וְאֶת־ הַתֻּמִּ֔ים
NAS: of judgment the Urim and the Thummim,
KJV: of judgment the Urim and the Thummim;
INT: the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim become

Leviticus 8:8
HEB: הַחֹ֔שֶׁן אֶת־ הָאוּרִ֖ים וְאֶת־ הַתֻּמִּֽים׃
NAS: he put the Urim and the Thummim.
KJV: in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
INT: on the breastpiece the Urim and the Thummim

Numbers 27:21
HEB: ל֛וֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הָאוּרִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה
NAS: for him by the judgment of the Urim before
KJV: [counsel] for him after the judgment of Urim before
INT: shall inquire the judgment of the Urim before the LORD

Deuteronomy 33:8
HEB: אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ
NAS: [Let] Your Thummim and Your Urim [belong] to Your godly
KJV: [Let] thy Thummim and thy Urim [be] with thy holy
INT: said your Thummim and your Urim man your godly

1 Samuel 28:6
HEB: בַּחֲלֹמ֛וֹת גַּ֥ם בָּאוּרִ֖ים גַּ֥ם בַּנְּבִיאִֽם׃
NAS: by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.
KJV: him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
INT: dreams or Urim or prophets

Ezra 2:63
HEB: עֲמֹ֥ד כֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וּלְתֻמִּֽים׃
NAS: stood up with Urim and Thummim.
KJV: a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
INT: stood A priest Urim and Thummim

Nehemiah 7:65
HEB: עֲמֹ֥ד הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וְתוּמִּֽים׃
NAS: a priest arose with Urim and Thummim.
KJV: [up] a priest with Urim and Thummim.
INT: arose A priest Urim and Thummim

7 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 224
7 Occurrences


bā·’ū·rîm — 1 Occ.
hā·’ū·rîm — 3 Occ.
lə·’ū·rîm — 2 Occ.
wə·’ū·re·ḵā — 1 Occ.















223b
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