Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord. The Urim and Thummim — whose exact nature is debated but whose function is clear — are the instruments of divine decision-making placed in the breastpiece pocket. Their names may mean lights and perfections or curses and perfections, but their function is to provide divine guidance for specific questions. 1 Samuel 28:6 records Saul inquiring of the Lord, and the Lord did not answer by dreams or Urim or prophets — the absence of response by Urim is the sign of divine silence. Numbers 27:21 assigns Joshua access to the Urim through the priest Eleazar. The decision-making apparatus of the covenant community is the responsibility of the high priest.

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