H8550 H8550
Thummim — one of the two sacred lots (with Urim) used for divine consultation by the high priest
The Thummim, paired with the Urim, were sacred objects placed in the high priest's breastpiece and used to obtain divine decisions. Their exact nature remains uncertain — the name likely derives from the root meaning 'completeness' or 'perfection.' Exodus 28:30 and Leviticus 8:8 prescribe their placement within the breastpiece of judgment. Deuteronomy 33:8 assigns them to the tribe of Levi. After the exile, Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65 record that certain priests were barred from service until a priest could consult 'with Urim and Thummim,' suggesting the oracular practice had lapsed.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The Thummim, a sacred cultic object used alongside the Urim for priestly divination. All five occurrences pair it with Urim in the context of the high priest's breastpiece (Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8) or oracular inquiry (Deut 33:8; Ezra 2:63; Neh 7:65). Translations uniformly transliterate rather than translate — English 'Thummim,' Spanish 'Tumim,' French 'Thummim' — reflecting the technical sacral nature of the term. The post-exilic references (Ezra, Nehemiah) indicate awareness that the institution had become defunct, lending the word an archaic, almost legendary quality. 5×
AR["-التُّمِّيمَ", "التُّمّيمَ", "تُمِّيمُكَ", "وَ-التُّمِّيمِ", "وَالتُّمّيمِ"]·ben["-তুম্মীম", "আর-তুম্মীমের-জন্য", "এবং-তুম্মীম-সহিত", "তোমার-তুম্মীম", "সেই-তুম্মীম"]·DE["[ולתמים]", "[ותומים]", "dein-Thummim", "der-Thummim"]·EN["and-Thummim", "and-for-Tummim", "the-Thummim", "your-Thummim"]·FR["[ולתמים]", "[ותומים]", "le-Thummim", "ton-Thummim"]·heb["ה-תומים", "ה-תמים", "ו-ל-תמים", "ו-תומים", "תומיך"]·HI["और-तुम्मीम", "तुम्मीम", "तुम्मीम-को", "तेरे-तुम्मीम"]·ID["Tumim", "Tumim-Mu", "Tumim-itu", "dan-Tumim"]·IT["[ולתמים]", "[ותומים]", "il-Thummim", "tuo-Thummim"]·jav["Tumim", "Tumim,", "Tumim-Panjenengané", "lan-Tumim", "lan-kangge-Tumim"]·KO["그-뛌밍을", "그-띄밀을", "그리고-둡미을-위하여", "그리고-위해-둠밈", "네-둔밌과"]·PT["e-Tumim", "e-para-os-Tummim", "os-Tummim", "teus-Tumim"]·RU["и-Туммима", "и-Туммимом", "тумим-Твой", "туммим"]·ES["los-Tumim", "tu-Tumim", "y-Tumim", "y-para-Tumim."]·SW["Thumimu", "Thumimu-yako", "na-Thumimu"]·TR["-Tummim", "Tummim'i", "Tummim'in", "ve-Tummim-ile", "ve-Tummimle"]·urd["اور-تمیم", "اور-لے-تمیم", "تمیم", "تیرے-تمیم"]
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
† תֹּם n.[m.] completeness, integrity;—תֹּם abs. Pr 10:29 +; cstr. Jb 4:6 ψ 78:72, cstr. also תָּם־ Pr 13:6 + 4 times; sf. תֻּמִּי ψ 26:1 + 11 times sf.; pl. תֻּמִּים Ex 28:30 + 3 times; sf. תֻּמֶּיךָ Dt 33:8;— 1. completeness, fulness: כְּתֻמָּם Is 47:9 2 בְּעֶצֶם תֻּמּוֹ Jb 21:23 in his very completeness. 2. innocence, simplicity: הלכים לתמם 2 S 15:11; מָשַׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְתֻמּוֹ 1 K 22:34 = 2…