The table of the showbread
Biblical Relevance
The bread of the presence accompanied the “table of the presence” (שׁלחן הפנים, shlchn hpnym; Num 4:7), which were located in the holy place of Israel’s central sanctuary (1 Sam 21:1–6; 1 Kgs 7:48; 1 Chr 9:32; 2 Chr 2:4; Neh 10:33). The Table of the Showbread appeared behind the veil above the mercy seat (Exod 25:22). The table required three coverings, paralleled by the ark of the covenant (Num 4:5–8). It symbolized one aspect of the covenantal relationship shared between Israel and Yahweh.
Background
The ritual presentation of bread before a deity was an ancient practice among many of Israel’s neighboring cultures. Priests regularly served bread and wine to local deities embodied in religious icons for their consumption. Such service contributed to a symbiotic relationship of mutual dependence between the people and their deities, each relying on the other for food and drink (Gane, “Bread of the Presence,” 190–92; see also Sommer, Bodies of God, 12–37).
The presentation of the bread of the presence before Yahweh belongs to this bread-laying ritual but departs from it in several ways:
• Israel’s worship, as prescribed in the Old Testament, was aniconic—the construction and veneration of religious icons representing Yahweh or any other deity was forbidden (Exod 20:4–5; Deut 4:15–19; 5:8–9).
• The bread of the presence did not serve as food for Yahweh, but rather for the priests (Lev 24:9; see also 1 Sam 21:1–6).
• The presentation of wine does not appear to have accompanied the presentation of the bread of the presence (Gane, “Bread of the Presence,” 183–90; Milgrom, Leviticus 23–27, 2092–93).
• The presentation of the bread of the presence symbolized a relationship between Israel and Yahweh—one in which Yahweh was not dependent upon Israel for food and drink (compare Psa 50:12–13).
• The bread likely represented Yahweh being Israel’s continual provider, like He was when they roamed in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt.
Theological Significance
The theological significance of the bread of the presence is rooted in Israel’s covenant relationship with Yahweh, marked by the perpetual observance of the Sabbath. Designated a “perpetual covenant” (ברית עולם, bryt 'wlm; Lev 24:8), the bread of the presence elicits a covenantal motif that surfaces seven other times in the Pentateuch (Gen 9:16; 17:7, 13, 19; Exod 31:16; Num 18:19; 25:13) and 10 times in the Prophets and writings (2 Sam 23:5; Isa 24:5; Jer 32:40; Ezek 16:60; Psa 105:10; 1 Chr 16:17).
The “perpetual covenant” mentioned in Exod 31:12–17 is significant to the ritual presentation of the bread. It roots regular Sabbath observance to the identity of Yahweh as entering into the created order—into the midst of the camp of Israel—in order to sanctify the people (Exod 31:13) (Fretheim, God and World, 63).
The “perpetual covenant” mentioned in Exod 31:12–17 is significant to the ritual presentation of the bread. It roots regular Sabbath observance to the identity of Yahweh as entering into the created order—into the midst of the camp of Israel—in order to sanctify the people (Exod 31:13) (Fretheim, God and World, 63).
The prescription for the bread of the presence in Lev 24 corresponds with Exod 16—the connection of bread and Sabbath. In Exodus 16, Yahweh sustains the wandering Israelites each morning with bread from heaven. On the sixth day, in preparation for the Sabbath, the Israelites were to gather twice as much bread—two omers each (Exod 16:22). This measurement corresponds to the amount of flour prescribed for each loaf constituting the bread of the presence (Lev 24:5; see Exod 16:36).
The regular arrangement of the 12 loaves—likely representing the 12 tribes of Israel—serves as a sign for Yahweh and all Israel (Lev 24:8b). The sign reminds Yahweh of His obligations to sustain Israel, while Israel is reminded of their obligation to observe all that Yahweh commands (Mason, “Eternal Covenant”). The observance of the commands of God and the blessings of grain in the land emphasize the nearness by which God interacts in their lives—to sanctify and to provide.
Bibliography
Gane, Roy. “ ‘Bread of the Presence’ and Creator-in-Residence.” Vetus Testamentum 42.2 (1992): 179–203.
Fretheim, Terence. God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005.
Mason, Steven D. “Eternal Covenant” in the Pentateuch: The Contours of an Elusive Phrase. Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies 494. New York: T&T Clark, 2008.
Milgrom, Jacob. Leviticus 23–27: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible 3B. New York: Doubleday, 2001.
Sommer, Benjamin D. The Bodies of God and the World of Ancient Israel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Kelly, J. (2012, 2013, 2014). Bread of the Presence. In J. D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair-Wolcott, R. Klippenstein, D. Bomar, … D. R. Brown (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
