What did the Urim and Thummim look like?

Last updated on: September 6, 2019 at 1:05 pm by Dan Peterson

What did the Urim and Thummim look like? 2019-09-06T13:05:01-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A view of the Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra, New York (LDS.org)

It’s Friday!

Thus, as you’ve come to expect, or at least as you should have come to expect — it’s been a consistent pattern now for over seven years — a new article has been published in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship:

“What Did the Interpreters (Urim and Thummim) Look Like?” by Stan Spencer

ABSTRACT: The interpreters were a pair of seer stones used by Book of Mormon prophets and provided to Joseph Smith for translating the Nephite record. Martin Harris described them as two white, marble- like stones that could be looked into when placed in a hat. Joseph Smith described them as spectacles with which he could read the record and later as two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow. Others described them as smooth stones, diamonds, or glasses. Reconciling these various descriptions and determining the actual appearance of the interpreters requires an assessment of the credibility of each source and an understanding of how the interpreters were used in translating. It also requires an understanding of how words such as glasses*,* transparent*, and* diamonds were used in Joseph Smith’s day, particularly in reference to seer stones. An assessment of the various descriptions of the interpreters in light of these factors lends support to both Martin Harris’s and Joseph Smith’s accounts. By these accounts, the interpreters were smooth, mostly white, perhaps translucent stones set in a long metal frame. Although they superficially resembled eyeglasses, the stones were set much too far apart to be worn as such. They were not clear like eyeglasses but were transparent in the sense that they, like other seer stones, could be “looked into” by a person gifted as a seer of visions.

***

But this new article isn’t the only new item that’s up on the Interpreter Foundation’s websites:

In “Covet to Prophesy,” Dr. Hales Swift provides

A Video Supplement for Come, Follow Me Lesson 35: “God Is Not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace”

In addition, the 1 September 1 of the Interpreter Radio Show is now accessible, free of charge, on the Interpreter Foundation website. Neal Rappleye, Jasmine Rappleye, and Spencer Marsh discussed a new book by Steven Harper and the new Interpreter article by Noel Reynolds, as well as the upcoming Come, Follow Me lesson #37 on 2 Corinthians 8-13:

Interpreter Radio Show — September 1, 2019

If you want only the Interpreter Radio (audio) Roundtable for Come, Follow Me New Testament Lesson 37, “God Loveth a Cheerful Giver,” covering 2 Corinthians 8-13, it has been extracted for your listening pleasure and edification from the 1 September 2019 broadcast of Interpreter Radio. It features Neal Rappleye, Jasmine Rappleye, and Spencer Marsh:

Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me New Testament Lesson 37 “God Loveth a Cheerful Giver”

Finally, you might enjoy the podcast “A Church History Moment,” with J. B. Haws.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 5, 2019

No Ma’am, that's not Islamic history

Next Post

September 6, 2019 Repeating a previous note on women and apologetics

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the word "apostle" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Teacher One who is sent Leader Counselor