H0224 H0224
Urim; the sacred lot-casting objects kept in the high priest's breastpiece for obtaining divine guidance.
The Urim (plural of intensity, possibly meaning 'lights' or 'curses') were sacred objects placed inside the high priest's breastpiece of judgment and used to seek God's will on critical decisions. They appear alongside the Thummim as a paired oracle system (Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8). Moses commissions Joshua to seek guidance 'by the judgment of the Urim' through the priest Eleazar (Num 27:21). By Saul's time, the Urim had fallen silent — God 'answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets' (1 Sam 28:6). The etymology remains debated, but the function is clear: these were the divinely sanctioned means of yes-or-no consultation.
Senses
1. Urim (sacred lot object) — Urim — the sacred lot objects housed in the high priest's breastpiece for obtaining divine oracles. Always paired with the Thummim, they were placed in the breastpiece of judgment (Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8) and used for critical decisions on behalf of the community. Moses instructs that Joshua shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire 'by the judgment of the Urim' (Num 27:21). Deuteronomy 33:8 assigns them to the faithful Levite. By Saul's era, God's silence through the Urim signals the king's spiritual alienation (1 Sam 28:6). Spanish and French both transliterate as Urim, preserving the Hebrew form. 7×
AR["-الأُورِيمَ", "الأوريمَ", "الْأُورِيمِ", "بِالأوريمِ", "لِ-الأُورِيمِ", "لِلأوريمِ", "وَأُورِيمُكَ"]·ben["-উরীম", "-উরীম-সহিত", "-উরীমের-জন্য", "উরীমগুলিতে", "উরীমের", "এবং-তোমার-উরীম", "সেই-উরীম"]·DE["[לאורים]", "bei-der-Urim", "der-Urim", "und-dein-Urim"]·EN["and-your-Urim", "by-the-Urim", "for-Urim", "the-Urim", "with-the-Urim"]·FR["[לאורים]", "et-ton-Urim", "le-Urim", "par-le-Urim"]·heb["ב-אורים", "ה-אורים", "ו-אוריך", "ל-אורים"]·HI["उरिम-से", "ऊरीम", "ऊरीम-के", "ऊरीम-को", "ऊरीम-से", "और-तेरे-ऊरीम"]·ID["Urim", "Urim-itu", "dan-Urim-Mu", "dengan-Urim", "melalui-Urim", "untuk-Urim"]·IT["[לאורים]", "da-il-Urim", "e-tuo-Urim", "il-Urim"]·jav["Urim", "kangge-Urim", "lan-Urim-Panjenengané", "lumantar-Urim"]·KO["그-우림-의", "그-우림과", "그-우림을", "그리고-네-우림은", "에-우림으로", "우림과", "위해-우림"]·PT["e-teus-Urim", "o-Urim", "os-Urim", "para-Urim", "para-os-Urim", "pelos-'urim"]·RU["для-Урима", "и-урим-Твой", "с-Уримом", "урим", "урима", "уримом"]·ES["los-Urim", "para-Urim", "por-Urim", "y-tu-Urim"]·SW["Urimu", "kwa-Urimu", "na-Urimu-yako"]·TR["-Urim", "-Urim'in", "-Urimle", "Urim", "Urim'i", "Urimle", "ve-Urim'in"]·urd["اور-تیرے-اوریم", "اوریم", "اوریم-کے", "اوریم-کے-لیے", "اُورِیم-سے", "لے-اوریم"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אוּרִים n.m. Urim (pl.intens., mostly c. art. the Urim, and mostly joined with תֻּמִּים q.v.) תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ הֲסִידֶךָ Dt 33:8 thy Thummim and thy Urim has the man of thy favour, i.e. the Levite tested at Massah & Meribah; הָאוּרִים וְהַתֻּמִּים were put into the חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט of the high priest Ex 28:30 Lv 8:8 (P); this חֹשֶׁן (q.v.) was a little bag or pouch worn on breast…