The Shewbread, also known as the “bread of the presence,” was a sacred element of the tabernacle and later the temple. It symbolized the continual fellowship and provision of God with and for His people.
The bread was placed on a special table in the Holy Place, as commanded in Exodus 25:30:
“And you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always.”
According to Leviticus 24:5–6, twelve loaves were to be baked each week:
“And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it… and you shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table before the Lord.”
Each loaf represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel, indicating that all of God’s people were continually in His presence. The bread was renewed every Sabbath, and only the priests were allowed to eat the old loaves (Leviticus 24:9).
The Shewbread was a type of Christ, who is the true bread of life (John 6:35). Just as the Shewbread signified God’s constant presence and sustenance, Jesus offers spiritual nourishment to all who believe in Him.
There is also a significant account in 1 Samuel 21:6, where David and his men, in urgent need, were given the holy bread by the priest Ahimelech. Though this was not the ordinary practice, Jesus later referenced this event in Matthew 12:3–4 to illustrate mercy and the heart of the Law.
The Shewbread teaches that God desires communion with His people and faithfully provides for their needs. It also points forward to Christ as the ever-present sustainer of His church.
