And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to overlook, but the "legs" of the table are described with a word that refers to the feet of humans or animals, and scholars suggest they might have even ended in claws! This detail hints at the table having a sturdy, perhaps even majestic, foundation, as it was meant to be carried with poles through its gold rings, elevated for respectful transport.
And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is giving Moses detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, His dwelling place among the Israelites. Following the descriptions of the Ark of the Covenant, this section focuses on the Table for the Showbread, which would hold the sacred loaves representing God's provision for His people. Rings were to be attached to its legs to allow it to be carried using poles, just as the Ark was, emphasizing its portable nature as the people journeyed.
God's presence wasn't meant to be static; it was mobile. Even furniture had to be ready for movement.
The instructions for the table include four gold rings attached to its base. These weren't for decoration; they were essential for transport.
Ready for Relocation
Just like the Ark of the Covenant, the table was designed to be carried. Staves would be inserted into these rings, allowing priests to lift and move the table. This detail highlights that the Tabernacle, and everything within it, was built with the understanding of a journey. God was with His people, not just in one fixed place, but wherever they went in the wilderness.
Symbol of God's Faithfulness
This mobility points to God's unwavering presence. He was with them through every step, every change of location. The table, a place of provision and fellowship, was always accessible, ready to be moved as they were.
This table wasn't just a piece of furniture; it was a symbol of God's provision and His intimate fellowship with His people.
The table in the Tabernacle held the 'showbread' or 'bread of the presence,' a term that points to its deep symbolic meaning.
God's Constant Provision
Twelve loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, were placed on the table, renewed weekly. This signified that God was constantly providing for His people, that their sustenance came from Him. It was a visible reminder that God was intimately involved in their daily lives, supplying their needs.
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Fellowship Around God's Table
The bread was called the "bread of the face" or "bread of the presence," indicating it was presented before God. It symbolized intimate fellowship – God and His people sharing in the provisions of His house. It was a testament to God desiring to commune with humanity, to have His people as His guests.
A Glimpse of Eternal Feasts
This earthly table, constantly supplied and always present before God, foreshadowed the eternal fellowship and abundant provision believers would one day experience in God's presence, particularly in the New Testament's celebration of communion and the ultimate heavenly feast.
Understand the original words
zāhāb · Hebrew Noun
A precious yellow metal often used in the Tabernacle and Temple to symbolize God's holiness, glory, divinity, and purity. Its presence signifies that the object is consecrated to the service of the Most High.
This verse describes the rings and poles for carrying the Ark of the Covenant, establishing a precedent for portable, sacred furniture that required specific means of transport.
Hebrews 9:4This passage mentions the Ark containing the golden pot of manna and Aaron's rod that budded, highlighting how sacred items within the tabernacle held symbolic significance related to God's provision and faithfulness.
John 1:14The concept of God dwelling among His people, represented by the Tabernacle, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the Word who 'tabernacled among us,' showing a progression of God's presence.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17Paul connects the cup and bread of communion to the table of the Lord, reflecting the spiritual nourishment and fellowship symbolized by the showbread on the table in the Tabernacle.
Revelation 21:3This verse speaks of God's ultimate dwelling with humanity in the New Jerusalem, echoing the Tabernacle's purpose as a place where God resided with His people, albeit in a more profound and eternal way.
calvinExodus 25:23-30: "Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof."
- Thou shalt also make a table. The sentiment of a certain ancient bishop [134] is deservedly praised, who, when he sold the sacred vessels in the time of a famine, to relieve the distress of the poor, thus excused himself to the Church: "Our God, who does not eat or drink, has no need of patens and chalices;" and…
cambridgeExodus 25:26: "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."
26 . on (or at ) the four corners of the four feet ] The word for ‘feet’ is the one which ordinarily denotes the foot of a man or animal. The legs, it is probable, terminated in claws.
It's easy to overlook, but the "legs" of the table are described with a word that refers to the feet of humans or animals, and scholars suggest they might have even ended in claws! This detail hints at the table having a sturdy, perhaps even majestic, foundation, as it was meant to be carried with poles through its gold rings, elevated for respectful transport.
God is giving Moses detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, His dwelling place among the Israelites. Following the descriptions of the Ark of the Covenant, this section focuses on the Table for the Showbread, which would hold the sacred loaves representing God's provision for His people. Rings were to be attached to its legs to allow it to be carried using poles, just as the Ark was, emphasizing its portable nature as the people journeyed.
God is giving Moses detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, His dwelling place among the Israelites. Following the descriptions of the Ark of the Covenant, this section focuses on the Table for the Showbread, which would hold the sacred loaves representing God's provision for His people. Rings were to be attached to its legs to allow it to be carried using poles, just as the Ark was, emphasizing its portable nature as the people journeyed.
"And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs." — It's easy to overlook, but the "legs" of the table are described with a word that refers to the feet of humans or animals, and scholars suggest they might have even ended in claws! This detail hints…
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Last reviewed October 2026