What is…
shewbread in the Bible

Hebrew: לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים

Exodus 25:30 (Revised King James Version marginal notes, “presence bread”); 1 Chronicles 9:32 (marginal notes., “bread of ordering”); Numbers 4:7: called “hallowed bread” (Revised King James Version, “holy bread”) in 1 Samuel 21:1-6

This bread consisted of 12 loaves made of the finest flour. They were flat and thin, and were placed in 2 rows of 6 each on a table in the holy place before the Lord. They were to be constantly in the presence of God in the Holy Place. They were replaced every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:5-9), and those that were removed to give place to the new ones were to be eaten by the priests only in the holy place (see 1 Samuel 21:3-6; compare Matthew 12:3-4).

The number of the loaves represented the 12 tribes of Israel, and also the entire spiritual Israel, “the true Israel;” and the placing of them on the table symbolized the entire consecration of Israel to the Lord, and their acceptance of God as their God.

It was the responsibility of the Kohathites to bake and set the bread (1 Chronicles 9:32). It is most likely that the bread was unleavened.

The table for the bread was made of acacia wood, 3 feet long, 18 inches broad [45.72 centimeters], and 2 feet 3 inches high [68.58 centimeters]. It was plated with pure gold. Two staves, plated with gold, passed through golden rings, were used for carrying it.

The table was placed opposite the Menorah, with the altar of incense between them.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes, king of the Seleucid Empire, claimed to be Zeus-incarnate and plundered the restored temple and stole the showbread table in the 2nd century BC. The ancient Jewish historian Flavius Josephus reports,

…he left the temple bare, and took away the golden candlesticks, and the golden altar, and table, and the altar; and did not abstain from even the veils, which were made of fine linen and scarlet. He also emptied it of its secret treasures, and left nothing at all remaining; and by this means cast the Jews into great lamentation, for he forbade them to offer those daily sacrifices which they used to offer to God, according to the law. —Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XII.5.4.

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Article Version: April 10, 2025