Category » Ancient Jewish History
Aaron
Academies in Babylonia and Erez Israel
Administration of Judaea
After Exile
Age of Patriarchs
Agriculture
Akkadian Language
Alchemy
Amoraim
Amulet
Anatomy
Ancient Greeks & Jews
Apostle
Aramaic
Archaeology
Architecture and Architects
Ark of Covenant
Ashkenaz
Assimilation
Av Bet Din
Baal Worship
Baal-Berith
Bar Kochba Revolt
Barbarians
Barcelona, Disputation of
Ben Sira, Alphabet of
Berbers
Bet (Ha)-Midrash
Bet Din
Bethar
Biblical Times
Bibliophiles
Birth and Evolution of Judaism
Bloodletting
Book of Lamech
Book of Raziel
Chronicles of Kings of Israel
Coins and Currency
Colophon
Cult of Moloch
Cupbearer
Dagon
Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea Sect
Diaspora
Egypt and Wanderings
Episcopus Judaeorum
Essenes
Exile
Fable
Flood
Forced Baptism
Garden of Eden
Glass
Golden Calf
Goliath
Great Assembly
Great Revolt
Great Synagogue
Hannah and her Seven Sons
Hasmoneans/Maccabees
Hebrew Printing
Hekdesh
Herod
Herodian Dynasty
Herodium
High Priest
Hillel and Shammai
Hittites
Hoopoe
Jerusalem
Jewish High Priests
Jewish Links to Holy Land
Jews of Middle East
Joseph’s Tomb
Judges of Bet Din
Judges of Israel
Juramentum Judaeorum
Kedar
Kedemites or Easterners
Kenite
Khazars
King David
King Solomon
Kings of Israel
Kings of Judah
Labor
Labor Law
Land of Hebrews
Landmarks
Landrabbiner
Lateran Councils III, IV
Laws Affecting Jews (300-800 CE)
Leather Industry and Trade
Legumes
Leibzoll
Leprosy
Lion of Wrath
Lydia, Lydian
Ma’amad or Mahamad
Ma’arufya
Maimonidean Controversy
Maiumas
Mamluks
Mamram
Manichaeism
Manuscripts, Hebrew
Maps
Marduk
Masada
Medes and Media
Medicinal Herbs
Menorah
Mercury
Mesha Stele
Metals and Mining
Minor Sects
Miriam
Mishmarot and Ma’amadot
Monarchy
Money Changers
Moneylending
Moses
Musar Haskel
Myrrh
Nadir, Banu I-
Name “Palestine”
Nash Papyrus
Nasi
Nebaioth
Nehushtan
Nephilim
Nevu’at Ha-Yeled
Nicanor’s Gate
Nomadism
Oath
Oath More Judaico
Occupation of Canaan
Oils
Onager
Onycha
Opferpfennig
Ossuaries and Sarcophagi
Ostraca
Ozar Hatorah
Parapet
Pardes
Pekod
Pharaoh
Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes
Philistines
Phoenicia, Phoenicians
Phoenix
Pillar
Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire
Poetry
Polish Literature
Portraits of Jews
Practice and Procedure
Procurator
Prostitution
Queen of Sheba
Rabbah
Rabbi
Rain
Red Heifer
Regem-Melech
Rephaim
Resheph
Return to Zion
Rice
Rimmon
Rulers of Ancient Middle East
Sambatyon
Sanhedrin
Scribe
Seal, Seals
Sefer Raza Rabba
Seleucid Era
Servi Camerae Regis
Seven Species
Sha’atnez
Shewbread or Showbread
Shimon Bar-Kochba
Ships and Sailing
Sibyl and Sibylline Oracles
Soferim
Spices
Tailoring
Talmud and Middle Persian Culture
Tares
Tax Gatherers
Taxation
Teacher of Righteousness
Temples
Ten Lost Tribes
Teraphim
Terumot and Ma’aserot
Timeline for History of Jerusalem
Timeline for History of Judaism
Tower of Babel
Donate
Ancient Jewish History:
Table of Contents
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The Temples
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Twelve Tribes
The Urim and Thummim (Heb. אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים) was a priestly device for obtaining oracles. On the high priest's ephod (an apron-like garment) lay a breastpiece (חֹשֶׁן) – a pouch inlaid with 12 precious stones engraved with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel – that held the Urim and Thummim (Ex. 28:15–30; Lev. 8:8). By means of the Urim, the priest inquired of YHWH on behalf of the ruler (Num. 27:21; cf. Yoma 7:5, "only for the king, the high court, or someone serving a need of the community"); they were one of the three legitimate means of obtaining oracles in early Israel (Urim, dreams, prophets; I Sam. 28:6). Owing to the oracular character of the Urim, the breastpiece is called "the breastpiece of decision" (חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט). (The concept evokes "the Tablets of Destiny" in Babylonian mythology – the symbol of supreme authority that lay on the breast of the chief god; Pritchard, Texts, 63, 67, 111.) The right to work this oracle was reserved for the levitical priests (Deut. 33:8).
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