Ezra 2:61-63

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

⁶¹And of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, of Hakkoz, and of Barzillai, who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the [noted] Gileadite and had assumed their name.^(A)

⁶²These sought their names among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found; so they were excluded from the priesthood as [ceremonially] unclean.

⁶³[Zerubbabel] the governor told them they should not eat of the most holy things [the priests’ food] until there should be a priest with Urim and Thummim [who by consulting these articles in his breastplate could ^[a]know God’s will in the matter].

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Footnotes

Ezra 2:63 But the effort doubtless would have been in vain. Long-standing disobedience had apparently caused Israel’s priests to forfeit the divine gift of guidance through Urim and Thummim, and it was never recovered. Except for a similar incident in Neh. 7:65, Urim and Thummim are not again mentioned in the Scriptures. The higher revelation by the prophets superseded them as interpreters of the will of God (see also Exod. 28:30; Amos 3:7).