Talk:showbread

The twelve loaves of bread are placed daily by the Jewish priests in the Holy Place on the table. Each loaf is made of fine flour. The Talmud ('b. Menah 76b') states that it was sifted eleven times. The twelve loaves used about 3 litres (3.5) pounds of flour.

In modern English Bibles this bread is usually referred to as “the bread of the Presence.”

The Hebrew literally says “the bread, the faces” (לחם־הפנים)and this has led some to speculate that the face of G-d was imprinted on the bread. But it is doubtful that such an idea is true. Most likely the term simply indicates that this bread was for His special use.

There are other terms that are used to indicate this bread. Some of which are: “the continual bread” (להם־התמיד), “the layer bread”(מערכת - First Chr. 9.32; 23.29; Neh. 10.33[34]) and “the Holy bread” (להם־קדש - First Sam. 21.4[5]).

Some of the references in the Western Bibles are: Exodus 25.30; 35.13; 39.36; 1 Sam. 21.6; 1 Kings 7.48; 2 Chron. 4.19. In the Eastern Bibles these same references are: Exodus 25.30; 35.13; 39.36; 1 Kings 21.6; 3 Kings 7.48; 2 Chron. 4.19.

The Greek equivalent that is used in the New Testament is: "the bread of presentation" (αρτοι της προθεσεως)and is used in Matt. 12.4; Mark 2.26 and Luke 6.4.