Numbers 4:7
in Numbers 4Over 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls and the cups wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall be thereon:
KJV
And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
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This verse in Numbers 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe 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.
This site's exposition
when the camp setteth forward
on Numbers 4:5-8
The veil that screened the most holy place comes down and becomes the ark's innermost wrapping, so the curtain that hid the ark inside the tent now travels on it. The ark takes three coverings where the rest take two, and it alone wears blue on the outside, while the table of shewbread wears scarlet and the brasen altar wears purple at verse 13. Barnes reads put in the staves as setting them in order, since Exodus 25:14-15 says the ark's staves were never drawn out of their rings. The shewbread stays on the table while it moves, the continual bread shall be thereon, so the bread before God carries on through the march.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
continual showbread--Though the people were in the wilderness fed upon manna, the sacred loaves were constantly made of corn, which was probably raised in small quantities from the verdant patches of the desert.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But when the cloud removed from the tabernacle, the sanctuary might be entered by the common priests, as to them was reserved the exclusive privilege of packing the sacred utensils; and it was not till the holy things were thus ready for carriage, that the Kohathites were allowed to approach.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַ֣ל׀ | veal | and over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שֻׁלְחַ֣ן | shulchan | [the] table of | H7979 → | |
| הַפָּנִ֗ים | hapanim | the presence | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יִפְרְשׂוּ֮ | yifresu | they will spread out | H6566 → | 67 times |
| בֶּ֣גֶד | beged | a covering of | H899 → | 217 times |
| תְּכֵלֶת֒ | tekhelet | violet stuff | H8504 → | 49 times |
| וְנָתְנ֣וּ | venatenu | and they will put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| עָ֠לָיו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַקְּעָרֹ֤ת | hakearot | the dishes | H7086 → | 17 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַכַּפֹּת֙ | hakapot | the pans | H3709 → | 192 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמְּנַקִּיֹּ֔ת | hamenakiyot | the bowls | H4518 → | |
| וְאֵ֖ת | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| קְשׂ֣וֹת | kesot | [the] jugs of | H7184 → | |
| הַנָּ֑סֶךְ | hanasekh | the drink offering | H5262 → | 64 times |
| וְלֶ֥חֶם | velechem | and [the] bread of | H3899 → | 298 times |
| הַתָּמִ֖יד | hatamid | <the> continuity | H8548 → | 104 times |
| עָלָ֥יו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יִהְיֶֽה׃ | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
וְעַ֣ל׀and over
vealH5921 →5755 times
שֻׁלְחַ֣ן[the] table of
shulchanH7979 →
הַפָּנִ֗יםthe presence
hapanimH6440 →2123 times
יִפְרְשׂוּ֮they will spread out
yifresuH6566 →67 times
בֶּ֣גֶדa covering of
begedH899 →217 times
תְּכֵלֶת֒violet stuff
tekheletH8504 →49 times
וְנָתְנ֣וּand they will put
venatenuH5414 →2011 times
עָ֠לָיוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַקְּעָרֹ֤תthe dishes
hakearotH7086 →17 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַכַּפֹּת֙the pans
hakapotH3709 →192 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַמְּנַקִּיֹּ֔תthe bowls
hamenakiyotH4518 →
וְאֵ֖תand <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
קְשׂ֣וֹת[the] jugs of
kesotH7184 →
הַנָּ֑סֶךְthe drink offering
hanasekhH5262 →64 times
וְלֶ֥חֶםand [the] bread of
velechemH3899 →298 times
הַתָּמִ֖יד<the> continuity
hatamidH8548 →104 times
עָלָ֥יוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
יִהְיֶֽה׃it will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.