우림과 둠밈( Urim and Thummim)

[KiC]

우림과 둠밈( Urim and Thummim)




'우림 웨툼밈 : 제사장이 하나님의 뜻을 알려고 사용하던 물건.

대제사장의 에봇에 달린 판결 흉패 안에 우림과 둠밈을 넣어 두었던 점으로 미루어 볼 때. 이것들이 그리 크지 않았다는 것을 알 수 있다

(출 28:29-30; 레 8:8; 참조 출29:5). 우림과 둠밈은 아마도 둥근 모양이나 주사위 모양이었을 것이며,
그 재료는 돌이나 보석이었을 것이다.



'우림과 둠밈'의 어원에 대해서는 정확하게 밝혀진 바가 없지만,

대략 '우림'은 "빛"이란 의미로서 하나님의 응답을 가리키며,

'둠밈'은 "어두움"이란 의미로  하나님의 거절을 가리킬 것이라고 추정하고 있다.



곧 판결 흉패를 흔든 다음 둘 가운데 하나를 집어내어 하나님의 뜻을 가려낸다는 것이다.

그러나 일부 학자들은 '우림과 둠밈'이 히브리어 알파벳의 첫글자와 마지막 글자(Alpha & Tau )를  가리킬 것이라고 주장한다. 그래서 이들은 히브리 알파벳22글자를 기록해 놓은 판위에 우림과 둠밈을 던졌을 것으로 추정한다.



우림과 둠밈에 대한 성경적 사용 용례는 대부분 질문과 응답 형식을 취하고 있다(삼상 23:9-12; 20:7-8).

여기에서 응답은 질문에 대한 승낙 또는 거절을 의미한다.

사울도 맹세를 어긴 범인을 찾을 때 우림과 둠밈을 사용하였다(삼상 14:41, 70인역은 '실상을 보이소서'라는 구절을 "만약에 이 죄가 나에게나 나의 아들 요나단에게 있다면  우림을 주시고, 이스라엘 백성들에게 있다면 둠밈을 주시옵소서"라고 번역하였다).



비록 성경에는 그 진행 절차가 자세하게 언급되어 있지 않지만,  응답하지 않는 경우도 있었던 것 같다(상상 14:36-37; 28:6).

탈무드에 의하면 제2성전 시대 도중에 우림과 둠밈 제도가 사라졌다고 한다.

그러나 에스라와 느헤미야 시대까지는 사용되었음이 분명하다(스 2:63; 느 7:65).

Urim and Thummim

Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Urim and Thummim

Urim and Thummim [N] [T] [S]

The terms "Urim" and "Thummim" have traditionally been understood as "light(s)" and "perfection(s)" or as "perfect light." The Urim and Thummim were a means of revelation entrusted to the high priest. No description of them is given. This oracular means apparently consisted of a material object or objects since it was physically stored in the breastpiece of the high priest ( Exod 28:30 ; Lev 8:8 ). Most scholars today think that the Urim and Thummim were a lot oracle, but this is by no means certain.

Besides being mentioned by their full name ( Exod 28:30 ; Lev 8:8 ; Ezra 2:63 ; Neh 7:65 ; in reverse order with possessives, Deut 33:8 ), the Urim and Thummim could also be referred to by Urim alone ( Num 27:21 ; 1 Sam 28:6 ). Sometimes the mention of the ephod (on which the breastpiece housing the Urim and Thummim were fastened) includes a reference to the Urim and Thummim ( 1 Sam 23:9-12 ; 30:7-8 ). Also the verb "inquire of" followed by "the Lord" or "God" when no means of revelation is specified refers to a usage of the Urim and Thummim.

The Urim and Thummim were used at critical moments in the history of God's people when special divine guidance was needed. The civil leader was expected to make use of this means for all important matters for which he needed direction. Although referred to in ezr 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65, there is no convincing evidence that the Urim and Thummim were used after the time of David.

The reason for the demise of the Urim and Thummim is not explicitly given. Since the Urim and Thummim, in whatever way they functioned, were a physical means of revelation, it appears that God was taking his people away from the easy certainty inherent in a mechanical means of revelation to the more consistent use of prophecy and the Word alone. This would require the more difficult application of the norms for true and false prophecy ( Deut 13:1-4 ; 18:20-22 ) and thus necessitate a faithful teaching priesthood ( Deut 33:10 ; Mal 2:7 ).

Although the lot theory has wide support today, there are significant difficulties with so identifying the Urim and Thummim. It is questionable whether the key evidence, the Greek text of 1 Samuel 14:41, is really to be preferred over the Hebrew text. Also, the vocabulary of lot casting is not used, and the answers contain more information than the casting of lots could yield ( eg 1:1 5:23-24 ). This last point suggests the involvement of prophecy and the divine inspiration of the high priest in giving revelation. It can also be noted that the use of the actual object(s) constituting the Urim and Thummim appears to have been self-authenticating. Even in extremely difficult circumstances, the guidance of the Urim and Thummim is followed ( Jud 20:18-28 ). It could be theorized that a perfect light that miraculously shone from the gem(s) constituting the Urim and Thummim (which belonged to God, Deut 33:8 ) gave the needed authentication to the actual answer spoken by the high priest under divine inspiration. In this way the judgment of the Urim, the light, may have been given ( Nu 27:21 ). Such authentication would not have been out of place in Old Testament times when special signs were provided more often.

Cornelis Van Dam

See also Priest, Priesthood; Revelation, Idea of

Bibliography. C. Van Dam, ISBE, 4:957-59.