Leviticus 24:6 kjv
And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
Leviticus 24:6 nkjv
You shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table before the LORD.
Leviticus 24:6 niv
Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold before the LORD.
Leviticus 24:6 esv
And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the LORD.
Leviticus 24:6 nlt
Place the bread before the LORD on the pure gold table, and arrange the loaves in two stacks, with six loaves in each stack.
Leviticus 24 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:30 | "You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me always." | Command to place showbread continually. |
| Exod 39:36 | "The table of pure gold with its rows of bread and all its utensils..." | Mentions table with rows of bread. |
| Lev 24:5 | "You shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes from it..." | Describes the making of the loaves. |
| Lev 24:8 | "Every Sabbath day he shall arrange it before the Lord regularly..." | Emphasizes perpetual arrangement on Sabbath. |
| Num 4:7 | "Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth..." | Instruction for carrying the table of showbread. |
| 1 Sam 21:6 | "So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but..." | David eats the holy showbread in an emergency. |
| 1 Kgs 7:48 | "So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord... and the table for the bread of the Presence of gold..." | Showbread table in Solomon's Temple. |
| Heb 9:2 | "For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place." | Location of the showbread table in Tabernacle. |
| Deut 8:3 | "...that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone..." | God provides sustenance beyond physical food. |
| Ps 132:15 | "I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread." | God's promise to provide sustenance. |
| Isa 55:2 | "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread..." | Spiritual nourishment contrasted with physical. |
| Jn 6:35 | "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger..." | Jesus is the ultimate spiritual bread/sustenance. |
| Jn 6:48 | "I am the bread of life." | Direct statement of Jesus' identity as sustenance. |
| Jn 6:51 | "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread..." | Jesus as the divine and sustaining provision. |
| 1 Cor 10:16 | "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" | New Covenant communion and Christ as the true bread. |
| 1 Cor 14:40 | "But all things should be done decently and in order." | Principle of orderliness in worship, reflecting God's nature. |
| Col 2:17 | "These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." | Tabernacle elements as shadows, fulfilled in Christ. |
| Heb 8:5 | "They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was warned: 'See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.'" | Tabernacle (including showbread) is a copy of heavenly reality. |
| Exod 40:23 | "And he put the bread in order upon it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses." | Fulfillment of the command for putting the bread in order. |
| Lev 24:3 | "Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord regularly..." | Emphasizes the continuity of the arrangement. |
| Exod 29:42 | "It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord..." | Example of "before the Lord" indicating constant divine presence. |
Leviticus 24 verses
Leviticus 24 6 Meaning
Leviticus 24:6 specifies the arrangement of the twelve loaves of bread, known as the "bread of the presence" or "showbread," on the pure gold table in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. It mandates that these loaves be set in two distinct rows, with six loaves in each row, perpetually positioned before the Lord. This instruction ensures an orderly and precise representation of God's constant provision and the perpetual presence of the twelve tribes of Israel before Him.
Leviticus 24 6 Context
Leviticus chapter 24 details instructions for maintaining holiness and service within the Tabernacle, following previous chapters that established laws for specific sacrifices, festivals, and ethical living. Verses 1-4 describe the continuous lamp maintenance, symbolizing God's perpetual light among His people. Verses 5-9, including verse 6, focus on the preparation and arrangement of the showbread. These continuous cultic responsibilities underscore the unceasing nature of God's dwelling among Israel and their ongoing need to maintain His presence through precise obedience. Historically, these detailed regulations were crucial in establishing a unique worship system for Israel, distinguishing it sharply from the surrounding pagan cultures which often involved arbitrary food offerings to multiple deities, or human consumption as a primary purpose. By commanding a precise arrangement on a pure table "before the Lord," Israel was taught the specific, holy, and sovereign nature of their God and the reverence due to Him.
Leviticus 24 6 Word analysis
וְשַׂמְתָּ֥(ve-samta) - "And you shall set": This imperative form emphasizes a direct divine command, highlighting the precise, non-negotiable nature of God's instructions for worship. The verb "to set" implies careful, deliberate placement, not mere dropping.אוֹתָ֛ם(otam) - "them": Refers specifically to the "twelve cakes" mentioned in the preceding verse (v.5). The number twelve symbolically represents the completeness of the twelve tribes of Israel, signifying that the entire nation, united, was continuously presented before God.שְׁתַּ֥יִם מַעֲרָכ֖וֹת(shetayim ma'arakhot) - "two rows/stacks": The termma'arakhahmeans "arrangement," "order," or "stack." This specifies a structured, visible layout rather than an arbitrary one. The "two rows" could signify either two horizontal rows or two vertical stacks, a precise ordering important for divine revelation.שֵׁ֣שׁ הַמַּעֲרָ֑כֶת(shesh ha-ma'arakhet) - "six in a row/stack": This specific numerical detail reinforces the meticulous nature of the Tabernacle service. Six, as the number preceding perfection or completion in God's creative work (Genesis 1), when doubled (12), emphasizes the complete nation presented before Him. It underlines that all elements of worship were by divine specification, not human innovation.עַל־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ הַטָּהֹ֔ר(al ha-shulchan ha-tahor) - "upon the pure table":הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙(ha-shulchan) - "the table": This is the Table of Showbread, a piece of Tabernacle furniture constructed of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold (Exodus 25:23-30). Located in the Holy Place, it served as a visible representation of God's provision and covenant fellowship. Its presence signifies the privilege of continuous access to God's bounty.הַטָּהֹ֔ר(ha-tahor) - "the pure": More than physical cleanliness, this denotes ritual and moral purity, emphasizing the holiness and separation required in God's presence. The gold of the table itself represents divinity and intrinsic purity, signifying that everything associated with divine service must meet a standard of consecrated holiness.
לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃(lifnei YHWH) - "before the Lord": This phrase is pivotal, defining the purpose and audience of the entire arrangement. It signifies direct divine acknowledgment and presence. The showbread was not for human consumption (except in specific cases for priests) but as a symbolic perpetual presentation to God, acknowledging His ultimate ownership, sustenance, and the nation's reliance on Him. This direct interface with the divine underscored the unique relationship between God and Israel.
Leviticus 24 6 Bonus section
The term "showbread" is an English translation of the Hebrew lechem panim, meaning "bread of the presence" or "bread of faces." This name powerfully emphasizes that these loaves were placed directly lifnei YHWH, "before the face of Yahweh," signifying their direct connection to His tangible presence within the Tabernacle. This act was not a human offering to feed God, but a symbolic expression of Israel's utter reliance on His provision and constant acknowledgement of His covenant faithfulness. The continuous, weekly renewal of the bread (as seen in verse 8) symbolized an unbroken cycle of communion and remembrance, prefiguring the unceasing sufficiency of Christ and the never-ending spiritual nourishment He provides.
Leviticus 24 6 Commentary
Leviticus 24:6 highlights the foundational principles of Israelite worship: precision, purpose, and the perpetual presence of God. The meticulous instruction for arranging the showbread—two rows of six loaves on the pure table "before the Lord"—underscores that divine service is not to be arbitrary but divinely ordered. This arrangement visually symbolized God's unwavering provision for and covenant with the twelve tribes of Israel, maintaining their continuous representation in His immediate presence. The purity of the table signified the holiness demanded by God, while the bread itself represented sustenance. This earthly ordinance points to a heavenly reality, foreshadowing Jesus Christ, the true "Bread of Life" (John 6:35), who is God's perfect, pure, and eternal provision for humanity. Just as the showbread was continuously set before the Lord, Christ offers constant spiritual nourishment and eternal fellowship for those who trust in Him, fulfilling the old covenant's shadows with ultimate spiritual reality and access to God's presence through Him.