URIM AND THUMMIM, among the ancient Hebrews, denoted a certain oracular consultation by the high priest, dressed in his robes, and wearing his pectoral or breastplate. Various have been the sentiments of commentators concerning the Urim and Thummim. Josephus and several others maintain that it meant the precious stones set in the high priest's breastplate, which, by extraordinary lustre, made known the will of God to those who consulted him. Dr Spencer believes that the Urim and Thummim were two little golden figures shut up in the pectoral, as in a purse, which gave responses with an articulate voice. In short, there are as many opinions concerning the Urim and Thummim as there are particular authors that have written about them. The safest opinion, according to Broughton, seems to be, that the words Urim and Thummim signify some divine virtue and power annexed to the breastplate of the high priest, by which an oracular answer was obtained from God when he was thus consulted; and that this was called Urim and Thummim, to express the clearness and perfection which these oracular answers always carried with them; for Urim signifies "light," and Thummim "perfection;" these answers not being imperfect and ambiguous, like the heathen oracles, but clear and evident. The use made of the Urim and Thummim was, to consult God in difficult cases relating to the whole state of Israel, and sometimes in cases relating to the king, the sanhedrim, the general of the army, or some other great personage.