Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 25:23-30

"And thou shalt make a table of acacia 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 a handbreadth 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. Close by the border shall the rings be, for places for the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and the spoons thereof, and the flagons thereof, and the bowls thereof, wherewith to pour out: of pure gold shalt thou make them. And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway." — Exodus 25:23-30 (ASV)

. The table and the candlestick depicted on the Arch of Titus at Rome are those of the Maccabean times, but made as closely as possible after the ancient models reproduced under the direction of Solomon and Zerubbabel. The details and size of the depiction, and the description by Josephus, appear to agree very closely with the directions given here to Moses and to illustrate them in several particulars. Josephus says that the table was like the so-called Delphic tables—richly ornamented pieces of furniture in use among the Romans, which were sometimes, if not always, covered with gold or silver.

Exodus 25:24: See the note on Exodus 25:11. The molding of the table is still seen at the ends of the sculptured figure.

Exodus 25:25: A border—Rather, a framing, which reached from leg to leg to make the table firm, as well as to adorn it with a second molding of gold. Two fragments of such framing are still seen in the sculpture attached to the legs halfway down.

Exodus 25:27: Over against the border—Rather, opposite the framing; that is, the rings were to be placed not on the framing itself, but at the extremities of the legs, corresponding to each corner of it.

Exodus 25:29: Dishes—These were deep vessels like "bowls," similar to the large silver vessels (or platters) that were filled with fine flour and formed part of the offerings of the Princes of Israel (Numbers 7:13 and following).

Spoons—Rather, these were the small gold cups filled with frankincense in the offerings of the Princes (Numbers 7:14), and represented on the table in the sculpture.

Covers ... bowls—These were flagons and chalices, such as were used for the rite of the drink offering, which appears to have regularly accompanied every Meat offering (Leviticus 23:18; Numbers 6:15; Numbers 28:14, etc.). This subject is important in its relation to the meaning of the showbread: the corrected rendering of the words tends to show that it was a true Meat offering.

To cover withal—See the margin. The first part of the verse might be better translated: And you shall make its bowls and its incense-cups and its flagons and its chalices for pouring out "the drink offerings."

Exodus 25:30: The showbread table was placed in the holy place on the north side (Exodus 26:35). Directions for preparing the showbread are given in Leviticus 24:5-9. It consisted of twelve large cakes of unleavened bread, arranged on the table in two piles, with a golden cup of frankincense on each pile. It was renewed every Sabbath day. The stale loaves were given to the priests, and the frankincense appears to have been lit on the altar as a memorial.

The showbread, with all the characteristics and significance of a great national Meat offering in which the twelve tribes were represented by the twelve cakes, was to stand before Yahweh perpetually. This was as a token that He was always graciously accepting the good works of His people, for whom atonement had been made by the victims offered on the altar in the court of the sanctuary.

The showbread, or "bread which is set forth," would be more accurately translated "bread of the presence." See the notes on Leviticus 24:5-9.