Bible Answer

Urim and Thummim

What were the Urim and Thummin? I know they were consulted for God's direction, but can you expand?
 

The Bible first mentions the Urim and the Thummim in Exodus 28 in connection with the design of the tabernacle. The Hebrew words urim can be translated fire or light, and the word thummim can be translated completeness or perfected. Later Greek translations of the Old Testament chose to use the words "revelation" and "truth" to translate Urim and Thummim, in keeping with their purpose rather than their appearance.

Traditional depictions of these objects see them as black and white stones, through there is nothing in Scripture to suggest such an appearance.

Scripture never describes the origins nor the substance of these objects, and since we know they had the power to reveal God's will in response to a question, it seems reasonable to conclude they were supernatural in origin delivered to Moses by angels or in some other fashion. They may not have been earthly objects. They are said to be missing in Zerubbabel's temple by Ezra, so they have disappeared like so many other artifacts from the original tabernacle and temples.