In opposition to this view of a direct Egyptian origin of the objects in question, it has been forcibly urged (1) that the words Urim and Thummim do not, in fact, mean Truth amlJustice; (2) that, with the exception of the single and undistinctive use of the term "judgment" (IJS'i'^) in connection with the choshen, or pontifical pectorale, there is no magisterial function of the high- priest in the cases of consultation, like that of the Egyp- tian archjudge; and (3) that, if such an image were in- tended, it is strange that no description is given to iden- tify it, nor any prescription made as to its form or struct- ure in the Mosaic account, as there is of all the other articles of the priestly regalia (see Keil, Commentary, ad loc).
IV. Oracular Use. — The process of consulting the Lord by Urim and Thummim, and the form in which the answer was returned, are not explained in Script- ure, and all we can say on the subject is from Rabbin- ical tradition. The rabbins say that tlie manner of inquiring was as follows: the priest put on his robes, and went (not into the sanctuary, where he could go but once a year), but into the sanctum, or holy place, and stood before the curtain or vail that divided the sanctuary from the sanctum. There he stood upright, facing towards the ark of the covenant, and behind him stood the person for whom he inquired, in a right line with the priest, facing the back of the latter, but outside the sanctum. Then the priest inquired of God concerning the matter required, in a low voice, like one praying half audibly, and, keeping his eyes upon the breastplate, he received by Urim and Thummim the answer to his question. Maimonides says it was not lawful to inquire by this mode for private individuals, but only for the king, or for him on whom the affairs of the congregation lay.
With respect to the mode in which the answer was returned, Prideaux, and some other Christian commen- tators, think that when the high-priest inquired of the Lord, standing in his robes before the vail, that an audi- ble answer was returned from within. But the rabbins say that the answer was given by certain letters en- graven on the stones in the breastplate becoming pe- culiarly, prominently lustrous, in proper order, so as to be read by the high-priest into words. For instance, when David inquired of (Jod whether he should go up to one of the cities of Judah (2 Sam. ii, 1), the answer was, '-Go up," 'TO'S, alah ; the letters ", b, and tl became in order prominently lustrous, and thus formed the word. These explanations evidently depend upon the Talmud- ic theories above recited as to the form and nature of the objects themselves. See Divination.
V. Ti/pical Siynijicance. — The office of the high-priest and his dress, as well as the tabernacle and its furniture and service, were all typical of the Christian dispensa- tion, or of the office and person of Christ; in whom, also, the Urim and Thummim, as well as the other types and foreshadowings, were fulfilled. He was Light, Per- fection, Manifestation, and Truth. He was the " true Light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John i, 9). " Being made perfect, he became the Author of salvation to all that obey him" (Heb. v, 9). He was " God manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. iii, 16). He was •■ the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John xiv, 6), and he "came to bear witness to the Truth" (xviii,
37). By Urim and Thummim a measure of the Holy (ihost was granted to the Jewish high-priest; Christ is a high-priest in whom are all the gifts of the Holy Ghost without measure (iii, 34). " He put on right- eousness as a breastplate" (Isa. lix, 19) ; and by his mer- its and intercession as our continual High-priest, he has given to us to " put on the breastjilate of faith and love" (1 Thess. V, 8). Some have seen the Urim and Thum- mim the object alhided to by John as" the white stone" (i^/j^ot; XtvKt)} of the Christian mysteries (Kev. ii, 17). See Type.
VL Literature.— In addition to the works cited above, and those referred to by Winer {Realworterb. s. v.) and by Darling {Cyclop. Bibliograph. col, 231 sq.), there are monographs on this subject in Latin by Calov (Viteb. 1(J75), Wolf (Lips. 1740), Schroder (Marb. 1741), and Stiebriz (Hal. 1753) ; and in (Jerman by Bellermann (Berl. 1824) and SaalschUtz (Konigsb. 1849). See High- priest.
Urius, in Greek mythology, was a surname oi Jupi- ter, who sends good winds to those at sea.
Uiiya (or Orissa) Version. Uriya, the ver- nacular dialect of Orissa (q. v.), is a tolerably pure dia- lect of the Sanscrit, possessing some Persian and Arabic terms, borrowed through the medium of the Hindus- tani, with others of doubtful origin. It is closely con- nected with Bengali, but greatly diflFering in pronun- ciation, for an effeminate style of articulaticni is preva- lent in Bengal, while the inhabitants of Orissa have a broad and almost rustic accent. The Uriya has also a written character peculiar to itself.
Tlie first version of the Scriptures in this dialect was commenced by the Serampore missionaries in 1803, and an edition consisting of one thousand copies of the New Test, was printed in 1811. The first edition of the Old Test,, also consisting of one thousand copies, was print- ed in 1819. The New Test, was soon exhausted, and a second edition of four thousand copies left the press in 1822, in the same year in which a mission by the (ieneral Baptist Society was established at Cuttack, the capital of Orissa. In 1832 a second edition of the Old Test, left the press, together with a separate edition of the Psalms. In 1838 the Rev. jNIessrs. Sutton and Noyes undertook a new version of the Scriptures in Uriya. Dr. Sutton commenced with the book of Gen- esis, and when the translation was completed he carried on both the printing and binding at Cuttack. An edi- tion of the Old Test, he completed for the Bible Society in 1844. In 1864 an edition of two thousand copies of the Gospel of St. Luke, from Dr. Sutton's version, was issued from the Cuttack press at the instance of the Bible Society, In the Rejwrt for 1863 we read that the New Test, has been revised, but the Old Test, has been reprinted as before. Whether Dr. Sutton completed his version or not we are unable to state. The only notice we find again concerning the Uriya version since 1863 is the statement made in the Annual Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the year 1873 that " the Rev. Dr. Buckley has completed the printing of a revised version of the Old Test, at the society's expense." From the Report for the year 1879 we see that up to March 31, 1879, the British and For- eign Bible Society had disposed of 4000 Bibles and Old Tests., 34,000 copies of portions of the Old Test., ami 2000 copies of portions of the New Test,, or altogether of 40,000 copies, in part or in whole, of the Uriya ver- sion. (B. P.)