Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BREAD OF THE PRESENCE

Loaves of bread placed in the sanctuary on a golden table, before Yahweh. Its name derives from the fact that the bread is in the presence of God and is, therefore, holy. The bread of the presence is described in most detail by Priestly writers in Exod. 25:23-30; Lev. 24:5-9 in conjunction with the building of the tabernacle. Exod. 25:23-30 focuses on the golden table upon which the bread is placed. Lev. 24:5-9 describes the bread itself. The bread of the presence consists of 12 loaves, placed in two rows of six each. Each is made with two tenths of an ephah of flour. The bread of the presence functioned like a grain offering which was sprinkled with frankincense. Aaron would replace the loaves with new ones on a weekly basis. The bread of the presence symbolizes the eternal covenant between God and Israel. Its location in the sanctuary just in front of the holy of holies indicates the holy status of the bread. In view of its sacred character, once the bread was removed it had to be eaten by priests within the confines of the sanctuary.

The bread of the presence is mentioned sporadically in other parts of the Bible. 1 Kgs. 7:48 places the bread of the presence in the temple of Solomon. A number of references also occur in Chronicles (1 Chr. 9:32; 23:29; 28:16; 2 Chr. 2:4[MT 3]; 13:11; 29:18). 1 Macc. 1:22; 4:49 describe how Antiochus Epiphanes carried off the golden table used for the bread of the presence in 170 b.c.e. and how it was later replaced by Simon Maccabeus. 1 Sam. 21:4-6[5-7] depicts an incident when David and his men ate the bread of the presence at the sanctuary of Nob, while fleeing from Saul. The story emphasizes that David and his men were in a state of holiness because they had refrained from sexual intercourse. Thus their eating of the bread did not defile its holy status even though they were not priests. This story is mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels (Mark 2:26 par.) in a teaching of Jesus as a illustration of why it is lawful to pick grain on the sabbath.

Bibliography. M. Haran, Temples and Temple-Service in Ancient Israel (1978, repr. Winona Lake, 1985).

Thomas B. Dozeman

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BREAD OF THE PRESENCE

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)