When Joseph Smith was entrusted to translate
the golden plates,
he was also given a set of Nephite interpreters and a breastplate.
These and other devices enabled him to translate
the Book of Mormon.
Soon, the early Saints recognized that these
divinely prepared instruments
were similar to the Urim and Thummim from the Old Testament,
and they began to interchangeably refer to them by this biblical term.
Some may wonder, though, how similar Joseph’s
New World artifacts actually were to the biblical
Urim and Thummim.
As far as the Bible itself is concerned,
there is clear evidence that the Urim and Thummim was associated with a ceremonial breastplate
worn by the high priest.
Several sources suggest that the breastplate
was designed to provide a pouch
in which the Urim and Thummim could be kept.
This nicely corresponds with William Smith’s description that a “pocket was prepared in the Nephite breastplate
on the left side,
immediately over the heart.
When not in use the interpreters were placed
in this pocket.”
A number of sources also indicate that the
biblical Urim and Thummin
may have illuminated or projected shinning letters.
Similarly, David Whitmer explained
that Joseph saw “bright luminous letters” when he looked in his translation devices.
On other occasions,
Whitmer referred to them as “letters of fire”
and said that they “appeared on the stone in light.”
There will likely continue to be scholarly
debate about what the biblical Urim and Thummim was
and how it functioned.
Yet non-LDS scholars have fairly recently
been reaching conclusions
that strengthen the possible links between the Urim and Thummim and Joseph Smith’s translation instruments.
Joseph and the early Latter-day Saints, therefore,
were certainly not incorrect to make this association themselves.
And know you know why
