Numbers 4:7

Num 4:7. The dishes — Upon which the show-bread was put. Continual bread — So called because it was continually to be there, even in the wilderness; where, though they had only manna for themselves, yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meaning, to cover the bread.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

continual showbread--Though the people were in the wilderness fed upon manna, the sacred loaves were constantly made of corn, which was probably raised in small quantities from the verdant patches of the desert.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(7) And covers to cover withal.—Better, and the cups for the drink-offering (or libation).

And the continual bread.—The shew-bread is so called because it was renewed every Sabbath day, and was continually before the face of the Lord even (as it appears from this verse) during the marches of the Israelites through the desert (Exo_25:30; Lev_24:5).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. shewbread] Presence-bread, i.e. bread that is placed in the divine Presence. 1Sa_21:6 is evidence that the practice was observed in early times. It was probably a relic of the primitive heathen notion that gods actually partook of bread that was offered to them.

the continual bread] The expression is not found elsewhere. Cf. ‘continual meal-offering’ (Num_4:16, Neh_10:33 only), ‘continual [R.V. perpetual] incense’ (Exo_30:8 (P )), and frequently ‘continual burnt-offering’ (Numbers 28, 29). It connotes the regularity with which a ritual act is performed at stated intervals.

The bread also came to be known as pile bread (R.V. ‘shewbread,’ 1Ch_9:32; 1Ch_23:29, Neh_10:33) owing to the arrangement of the loaves in two piles (Lev_24:6, R.V. marg.). And since the root of the word מֲערֶכֶת (‘pile’) denotes to ‘set out’ or ‘arrange’ [a meal], the name appears in the N.T. as ἄρτοι τῆς προθέσεως (lit. ‘bread of the setting out,’ Mat_12:4, Mar_2:26, Luk_6:4) and ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων (lit. ‘the setting out of the loaves,’ Heb_9:2).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue,.... That that also might not be seen nor touched by the Levites:

and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the covers to cover withal: all which belonged to the shewbread table; the use of which; see Gill on Exo 25:29; these seem to be put not immediately upon the table, but upon the blue cloth spread over the table:

and the continual bread shall be thereon: the shewbread is called "continual", because it was always on the table; for while the one was removing by a set of priests, which had stood a week, new loaves were placed by another set of priests: this bread seems at this time to be placed also upon the table, spread with the blue cloth; and from hence it appears, that the Israelites had the shewbread in the wilderness; for the making of which they might be supplied with corn from the neighbouring countries, though they themselves needed not any, being daily fed with manna.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Loaves. Some imagine this precept was not observed in the desert, as the people fed on manna. But might not they procure some flour of the neighbouring nations? and do not the princes offer flour, chap. vii.? See Deuteronomy xii. 7. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Of shew-bread, Heb. of faces or presence, for of the bread of faces or presence, i.e. of the bread which was continually standing in the presence of the Lord.

The dishes, upon which the shew-bread was put.

The continual bread, i.e. shew-bread; so called because it was continually to be there, even in the wilderness; where though they had only manna for themselves, yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves, which they might with no great difficulty procure from some of the people bordering upon the wilderness in the innermost parts whereof they were.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7, 9. The table of show-bread — This is minutely described in Exo_25:23-30. The literal Hebrew here is show table, or, more exactly, table of faces or face, referring to the presence of Jehovah, not of the people, for they were not permitted to see it. It sets forth in a sensible manner the great truth that the unseen Jesus is the bread of life for the believing soul. It, with all its furniture, and the continual bread, was to be prepared for removal. The bread was called “continual” or perpetual, because loaves were always to be on the table, the new always taking the place of the old. The table was to be spread with a cloth of blue, or purple blue, and then, after all the furniture and show-bread were put upon it, was to be covered with a scarlet cloth. Could we authoritatively interpret the significance of this colour, as some assume to do, we should not hesitate to enlighten the reader. In this case the coloured cloth is not for ornament, since it is covered with the tachash skin. The same may be said of the golden candlestick, and all the utensils appertaining to it. This was the symbol of that illumination which is afforded by the Holy Spirit, dispelling doubts, and giving to the believer a sense of the reality of spiritual truth. Hence the Holy Ghost is called by Jesus the Spirit of Truth, or the Spirit of Reality, because he makes real to our spiritual intuition the truth which is dark to our reason.

Snuffdishes — The same word is elsewhere rendered censer.

Lev_10:1; Num_16:6. The one was used for trimming the lamps, and the other for carrying live coals for the purpose of burning incense.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal. Rather, "the plates, the bowls, the wine pitchers, and the chalices for pouring out," i.e., the drink offerings. The two first seem to have been used in the meat offering, the two last in the drink offering.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The dishes - Upon which the shew-bread was put. Continual bread - So called because it was continually to be there, even in the wilderness; where though they had only manna for themselves, yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves, which they might with no great difficulty procure from some of the people bordering upon the wilderness.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Over the table of shew-bread (Exo 25:23) they were to spread a hyacinth cloth, to place the plates, bowls, wine-pitchers, and drink-offering bowls (Exo 25:29) upon the top of this, and to lay shew-bread thereon; and then to spread a crimson cloth over these vessels and the shew-bread, and cover this with a sea-cow skin, and lastly to put the bearing poles in their places.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

shewbread

(See Scofield "Exo 25:30").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the bread of the presence

This bread represents the presence of Yahweh. AT: "the bread of Yahweh's presence" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

On it they must put

Here "it" refers to the blue cloth.

bowls, and jars for pouring

The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "bowls and jars used to pour out drink offerings" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

They must cover them

Here them refers to "the dishes, spoons, bowls, and jars."

Bread must always continue to be

There must always be bread"

scarlet cloth

"red cloth"

insert poles

The poles were inserted into rings on the corners of the table so that the poles could be used to carry the table. This can be stated clearly. AT: "insert poles into the rings at the corners of the table" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

bread

sea cow

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

קערת וכפת וקשות ומנקיות — I have already described these in the chapter dealing with the work of the Tabernacle (Exodus XXV).

הנסך means, “covering”, — having the same meaning as מסך, the screen, — as it is written, (Exodus 25:29) “the covers by which they shall be covered (יסך)” (cf. Rashi on that verse and the Note thereon).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND THE CONTINUAL BREAD SHALL REMAIN THEREON. On the table itself was to be the bread,. Ramban interprets the verse to mean: “and upon the table of showbread, on which the continual bread shall remain, they shall spread a cloth of blue etc.” and upon them [i.e., the twelve loaves of bread] a cloth of blue, and upon this cloth which was on the table they put all the vessels, and afterwards they spread upon the vessels and the table a cloth of scarlet. For in honor of the bread which was arranged on the table according to the precept [of the Torah], they spread this cloth of blue in order to divide between the table and its bread [beneath the cloth], and the vessels [which lay above the cloth]; and the upper cover was a cloth of scarlet, which was a hue of red, because the table is a sign of the crown of royalty, which is [manifested by] the attribute of justice. But the ark and the golden altar were [covered on top] with a cloth of blue, alluding to the attribute which is comprised of hakol (the All), and the altar of the burnt-offering [was covered] with a purple cloth, which is redder than the first [i.e., the cloth of scarlet which was upon the table], for it is there [on the altar of the burnt-offering] that the blood of the offerings, which is a ransom for the souls [of those who offer them], is sprinkled.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.