Shewbread (Showbread)

How Nave’s arranged it

• (Also called THE BREAD OF THE PRESENCE)Hebrews 9:2
• Called HALLOWED BREAD1 Samuel 21:6
• Ordinance concerningLeviticus 24:5–9
• Required to be kept before the Lord continuallyExodus 25:302 Chronicles 2:4
• Provided by a yearly per capita taxNehemiah 10:32Nehemiah 10:33
• Prepared by the Levites1 Chronicles 9:321 Chronicles 23:29
• Unlawfully eaten by David1 Samuel 21:6Matthew 12:3Matthew 12:4Mark 2:25Mark 2:26Luke 6:3Luke 6:4
• Placed on the Table of Shewbread (see TABLE OF, below.)Exodus 40:22Exodus 40:23
• TABLE OFHebrews 9:2
• Ordinances concerningExodus 25:23–28Exodus 37:10–15
• Its position in the tabernacleExodus 26:35Exodus 40:22
• Furniture ofExodus 25:29Exodus 25:30Exodus 37:16Numbers 4:7

The passages, in Bible order (31)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Exodus 25:23–28

   You are also to make a table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 25:23–281 voice

   “(Compare Exo 37:10-16.) The table and the candlestick figured on the Arch of Titus at Rome are those of the Maccabaean times, but made as nearly as possible after the ancient models reproduced under the direction of Solomon and Zerubbabel. The details and size of the figure, and the description of Josephus, appear to agree very nearly with the directions here given to Moses, and to illustrate them in several particulars.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 25:23–28→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Exodus 25:29

   You are also to make the plates and dishes, as well as the pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 25:291 voice

   “The dishes thereof - קערתיו kearothaiv, probably the deep bowls in which they kneaded the mass out of which they made the shew-bread. And spoons thereof - כפתיו cappothaiu, probably censers, on which they put up the incense; as seems pretty evident from Num 7:14, Num 7:20, Num 7:26, Num 7:32, Num 7:38, Num 7:44, Num 7:50, Num 7:56, Num 7:62, Num 7:68, Num 7:74, Num 7:80, Num 7:86, where the same word is used, and the instrument, whatever it was, is always represented as being filled with incense.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 25:29→

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3. Exodus 25:30

   And place the Bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 25:302 voices

   “And thou shall set upon the table shewbread before me always. Which consisted of twelve cakes loaves, set in two rows upon the table, and stood there a whole week, and every sabbath were renewed; and when the old ones were took away, which were eaten by the priests, new ones were set, so that they were always before the Lord; and being continually before him, were called shewbread, or "bread of faces", being always before the face of God.

   “This bread was designed to be, a thankful acknowledgment of God's goodness to them in giving them their daily bread, a token of their communion with God; this bread on God's table being made of the same corn as the bread on their own tables. And a type of the spiritual provision which is made in the church, by the gospel of Christ, for all that are made priests to our God.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 25:30→

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4. Exodus 26:35

   And place the table outside the veil on the north side of the tabernacle, and put the lampstand opposite the table, on the south side.

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Exodus 30:26

   Use this oil to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony,

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Exodus 30:27

   the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense,

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7. Exodus 30:29

   You are to consecrate them so that they will be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy.

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8. Exodus 37:10–15

   He also made the table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Exodus 37:16

   He also made the utensils for the table out of pure gold: its plates and dishes, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Exodus 40:22

    Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Exodus 40:23

    He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 40:232 voices

    “And he set the bread in order upon it before the Lord,.... The shewbread, the twelve cakes of it, in two rows, six in a row: as the Lord had commanded Moses: Exo 25:30.

    “Moses performed these priestly functions (Exo 28:1 note), before the holy things with which they were performed were anointed. The things had been made expressly for the service of Yahweh, by His command, and in this fact lay their essential sanctity, of which the anointing was only the seal and symbol. Aaron and his sons, on similar ground, having had the divine call, took part in the service of the sanctuary as soon as the work was completed Exo 40:

    Everything gathered on Exodus 40:23→

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12. Leviticus 24:5–9

    You are also to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf,

    ›Commentary on Leviticus 24:5–92 voices

    “The oil for the lamps of the tabernacle and the meal for the showbread were to be offerings from the Congregation, like the meal for the Pentecostal loaves, Lev 23:17. It appears that the responsibility of keeping up the lights rested on the high priest, but the actual service might be performed, on ordinary occasions, by the common priests. Compare margin reference. Lev 24:5 Each cake or loaf of unleavened bread Lev 2:11 was to contain about six pounds and a quarter (see Exo 29:40 note) of fine flour.

    “The Old Covenant had its loaves of proposition, but they, as belonging to that covenant, have come to an end. The New Covenant has its heavenly bread and cup of salvation to sanctify both body and soul. For as the bread is for the body, the Word suits the soul.

    Everything gathered on Leviticus 24:5–9→

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13. Numbers 4:7

    Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.

    ›Commentary on Numbers 4:71 voice

    “The dishes - Upon which the shew-bread was put. Continual bread - So called because it was continually to be there, even in the wilderness; where though they had only manna for themselves, yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves, which they might with no great difficulty procure from some of the people bordering upon the wilderness.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 4:7→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Numbers 4:15

    When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

    ›Commentary on Numbers 4:152 voices

    “And when Aaron and his sons had made an end of covering the sanctuary,.... Not the holy place, nor the most holy place, for these were not covered by them; but "the holy things" in them, as the Septuagint version, the ark, shewbread table, &c. and all "the vessels of the sanctuary"; all appertaining to those holy things, which are before mentioned.

    “Uzza was struck dead for the breach of this law. Thus were the Lord's ministers themselves then kept in fear, and that was a dispensation of terror, as well as darkness; but now, through Christ, the case is altered; we have seen with our eyes, and our hands have handles, the word of life ( 1 John i. 1 ), and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 4:15→

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15. 1 Samuel 21:6

    So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

    ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 21:62 voices

    “Even if they accuse, yet Christ excuses, and he makes the souls that he wishes, that follow him, similar to David, who ate the loaves of proposition outside of the law—for even then he foresaw in his mind the prophetic mysteries of a new grace.

    “Our Lord put forward the clear example of David, who was not accused either over this, as he was over something else. It was not permissible, he said, for David to eat [the holy bread] since he was not a priest. However, he was a …

    Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 21:6→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. 1 Kings 7:48

    Solomon also made all the furnishings for the house of the LORD: the golden altar; the golden table on which was placed the Bread of the Presence;

    Verse page →Original language →