communicated his mind and judgment to Mm respecting the children of Israel.
Within this breast-plate were placed the Urim and the Thum- mim. What these were, we are not informed. Many have thought, that they were not distinct from the stones : and that the terms Urim and Thummim merely designated the use to which those stones were applied. But the language of the text, especially when confirmed by Levit. viii. 8, leaves no doubt, but that the Urim and Thummim were distinct from the breast- plate, and were " put into " it after it was made. It is no ob- jection to say, that the one is sometimes mentioned without the other, or, that we know not who made the Urim and Thummim, or what they were. It is sufficient for us to know, that they were added to the breast-plate, and that they were appointed for a very important purpose.]
The particular use of the breast-plate shall now
be distinctly declared —
[The breast-plate thus formed, was to be worn by the high- priest, whenever he performed the duties of his office. It was suspended from his shoulders by two golden chains, fixed to two onyx-stones ; on which, as well as on the twelve stones, were engraven all the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, six on each stone ; and both the one and the other were " for a me- morial before the Lord continually a." We must understand this as spoken after the manner of men. Wre are not to sup- pose that God needs to be reminded of his people ; but the sight of their names, whenever the high-priest came into his pre- sence, was (so to speak) to remind him, that he had a people who were to be the objects of his peculiar care.
The Urim and Thummim were for a different purpose. They were, in some way or other, to communicate answers to the high-priest, whenever he consulted God upon any matter relating to the civil or religious concerns of the nation. To inquire how the answers were given, whether by a secret sug- gestion to the mind of the high-priest, or by an audible voice, or in any other way, is vain : we should be contented to be ignorant about those things whereon God has not seen fit to inform us. That the Urim and the Thummim were consulted, and not only by the high-priest, but by others without him ; and that specific answers were obtained from God ; is certain. Joshua b, and those who succeeded him in the government of Israel0, sought instruction from God through the medium of these. The eleven tribes had the mind of God repeatedly made known to them in the same way, when they desired to be informed, whether they were to wage war against the offending
a ver. 12. b Numb, xxvii. 21. c Judg. i. 1.
99.] aaron's breast-plate. 473
tribe of Benjamin d. David in various straits took counsel of God in this way, and had such information conveyed to him as was impossible for any but the omniscient God to impart e. Saul asked counsel in the same way ; but could not obtain an answer, because he had provoked God to cast him off f. At the time of the Babylonish captivity the Urim and the Thum- mim were lost, and were never afterwards recovered g; till Christ, whom they typified, came to instruct us in all things that can at all conduce to our real welfare.
The very names, Urim and Thummim, serve in a great mea- sure to designate their particular use. Their import is, Lights and Perfections : and they were for the express purpose of conveying light to those who consulted them, even such light as would perfectly and infallibly direct their way.
Thus, as the breast-plate of judgment consisted of two dif- ferent parts, so it was intended for two different uses ; the stones in it were for a memorial before God ; and the Urim and Thummim that were in it, were for the obtaining of instruction from GodJ\