Table of Shewbread

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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This was made of shittim wood overlaid with gold. For the tabernacle it was two cubits in length, one cubit in breadth, and a cubit and a half in height. It had an ornamental crown and border, with another crown around its edge. The table was put in the holy place on the north side. Besides the twelve loaves there were on the table, dishes, spoons, bowls, and covers (Ex. 37:10-1610And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: 11And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about. 12Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about. 13And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof. 14Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table. 15And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table. 16And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold. (Exodus 37:10‑16); 1 Kings 7:4848And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the Lord: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the showbread was, (1 Kings 7:48)). Frankincense was to be placed on the loaves, and this would need dishes; the spoons were for the incense, and probably the basins for the drink offerings.
This table was typical of Israel’s place before God in the acceptability of Christ, who, as the true Aaron, maintains them even now before God: it is a perpetual covenant (Lev. 24:88Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. (Leviticus 24:8)); and possibly also of God’s bounty to man through His people Israel. This was foreshadowed also in the Lord feeding the people through His twelve apostles, and in twelve baskets of fragments remaining.