Exodus 25:23

The Table for the Bread of the Presence

25:23 ¹ “You are to make a table of acacia wood; its length is to be three feet, its width one foot six inches, and its height two feet three inches.

Exodus 37:16

37:16 He made the vessels which were on the table out of pure gold, its ²  plates, its ladles, its pitchers, and its bowls, to be used in pouring out offerings.

Exodus 40:4

40:4 You are to bring in the table and set out the things that belong on it; ³  then you are to bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.

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¹ sn The Table of the Bread of the Presence (Tyndale’s translation, “Shewbread,” was used in KJV and influenced ASV, NAB) was to be a standing acknowledgment that Yahweh was the giver of daily bread. It was called the “presence-bread” because it was set out in his presence. The theology of this is that God provides, and the practice of this is that the people must provide for constant thanks. So if the ark speaks of communion through atonement, the table speaks of dedicatory gratitude.

² tn The suffixes on these could also indicate the indirect object (see Exod 25:29).

³ tn Heb “and you will set in order its setting” or “arrange its arrangement.” See 25:29-30 for items that belonged on the table.