Table of Showbread

The Table of Showbread was a sacred acacia-wood table overlaid with pure gold that stood in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle and later Solomon’s Temple. Twelve loaves of unleavened bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, were arranged on it in two stacks and renewed every Sabbath by the priests, who alone ate the previous week’s offering. This perpetual presentation symbolized God’s covenant faithfulness and continual provision for His people in His presence. The table is later referenced in Hebrews as part of the earthly sanctuary that foreshadowed greater spiritual realities fulfilled in Christ.

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Significance: Symbolized God's provision and fellowship. Jesus declared Himself the Bread of Life, fulfilling this type.
Materials: Acacia wood overlaid with pure gold

Key Passages

Instructions to Build

Exodus 25:23-30

T²³hou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

²⁴ And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. ²⁵ And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. ²⁶ And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. ²⁷ Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. ²⁸ And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. ²⁹ And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. ³⁰ And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

David Eats the Bread

1 Samuel 21:1-6

T¹hen came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

² And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. ³ Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. ⁴ And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. ⁵ And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. ⁶ So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

Jesus the Bread of Life

John 6:35

A³⁵nd Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Did You Know?

12 loaves were placed on the table every Sabbath. One for each tribe of Israel.

The bread was called 'bread of the Presence'. It represented God's provision and Israel's communion with Him.

Only priests could eat the old bread. Except when David ate it in emergency (which Jesus cited to justify Sabbath mercy).

The table was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Humanity (wood) covered by deity (gold).