Overview
The Bible addresses shewbread across 34 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Exodus, Leviticus and 1 Samuel. Closely related themes include Types of Christ, Priests, Tabernacle and Sabbath. Figures whose stories touch this theme include David, Moses, Aaron and Abiathar.
Key Bible verses about shewbread
Old Testament
Exodus
Thou 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.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
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.
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.
Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
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. to: or, to pour out withal
And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.
And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.
And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Leviticus
And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.
1 Samuel
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.
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. yea: or, especially when this day there is other sanctified in the vessel
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.
1 Chronicles
And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath. shewbread: Heb. bread of ordering
Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; pan: or, flat plate
Nehemiah
Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
New Testament
Matthew
Mark
And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
Luke
And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
1 Corinthians
People in the Bible and shewbread
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying shewbread for yourself
- Begin with Exodus 25:23, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Exodus, Leviticus and 1 Samuel each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of David, Moses and Aaron and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Types of Christ, Priests, Tabernacle and Sabbath.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about shewbread?
The Bible addresses shewbread across 34 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Exodus, Leviticus and 1 Samuel. Closely related themes include Types of Christ, Priests, Tabernacle and Sabbath. Figures whose stories touch this theme include David, Moses, Aaron and Abiathar.
How many Bible verses are about shewbread?
The Bible references shewbread in 34 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention shewbread?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Exodus 25:23: “Thou 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.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with shewbread?
David, Moses, Aaron, Abiathar and Jesus.
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