"Thou shalt take also fine flour, and shalt bake twelve loaves thereof, two tenths shall be in every loaf. And thou shalt set them six and six, one against another, upon the most clean table before the Lord." (Leviticus 24:5-6)

This verse plays an important part in our Catholic faith. In Moses' Tabernacle, 12 unleavened loaves were placed in the presence of the Holy of Holies. Often we focus on the on the first part of this verse, “twelve loaves”. We think of the twelve as representing the 12 tribes of Israel. I've come to think of these 12 loaves as prefiguring the 12 Apostles who were exposed to God in the Person of Christ, hence loaves of proposition. The Twelve were to nourish the heart and soul of the faithful as the loaves nourished the Levite priests.

Now I've come to focus on the next part of the verse, “two tenths shall be in every loaf.” What is the significance? If we think of proportioning done in the kitchen this would mean that each loaf would contain 12 portions of a batch with each batch measuring 60 portions. Thus to make 12 loaves one would need to make 2-4/10ths batches or 144 portions:

1 Loaf = 2/10ths of a batch

12 Loaves= 24/10ths or 2.4 of a batch

Making a batch equal to 60 portions simply makes working with rational numbers easier

i.e. 2/10ths of 60 = 12 portions required for each loaf.

Thus the number of portions for 12 loaves would equal 60 x 12 x 2/10ths = 144 portions

All of which adds nothing to the verse. Why is the proportion of 2/10ths seemingly thrown into this verse? Why didn't the good Rabbi simply say 1/12th of the total flower needed? Why did the Rabbi find it necessary to tell us about the proportioning?

Any suggestions?

JoeT

Here is a site I found that might be helpful
Leviticus Lesson 17 (http://biblestudiesnet.homestead.com/files/levlsn17.html)

Here is a site I found that might be helpful
Leviticus Lesson 17 (http://biblestudiesnet.homestead.com/files/levlsn17.html)

Thank, but this was of little help.

Joe,
I have no idea, but I will watch to see if someone knows the answer to that.
It is quite interesting.
Thanks,
Fred

Joe,
I have no idea, but I will watch to see if someone knows the answer to that.
It is quite interesting.
Thanks,
Fred


I think I'm on to something. I’m getting closer to the correct interpretation with another approach. It may simply be a translation problem. A Jewish site translates this verse, “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake.” I’m beginning to understand that in ancient Hebrew a reference to a proportion of dry measure is often made to the 'ephah'; I suppose that the Douay translation makes the assumption the reader understands this. An ephah is equal to about one bushel. So 2/10ths would be about a gallon, dry measure.

JoeT

I am thinking it may be something relating to the 12 tribes symbolically. It would be interesting cause that could get very deep with all the measurements involved.

JoeT777,
Thanks Joe.
That makes sense to me.
Here is how one of my favorite Bible versions has it (The New Jerusalem Bible)
Lev 24: 5. You will take wheaten flour and with it bake twelve loaves, each of two-tenths of an ephah.
6. You will then place them in two rows of six on the pure table before Yahweh.
Peace and kindness,
Fred