Lev. 24:5

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The loaves of bread which the officiating priest placed every sabbath day upon the golden table in the Sanctum, before the Lord, were twelve in number, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

The loaves must have been large, since two tenth deals (about six pints) of flour were used for each, Le 24:3, 6, 7.

They were served up hot on the sabbath day in the Sanctum, when the stale ones, which had been exposed the whole week, were taken away, and none but the priests were allowed to eat them.

In an extraordinary extremity, David and his men partook of the shew-bread, (see 1 Sa 21:6,) the urgent necessity alone justifying the act. The Hebrew signifies bread of faces, or, of the face.

See Exod 25:30; Exod 40:23; 1Kgs 18:31; 1Sam 21:4; 1Sam 21:5; Matt 12:4; Acts 26:7; Jas 1:1