The loaves of bread which the officiating priest placed every
   sabbath day upon the golden table in the Sanctum, before the
   Lord, were twelve in number, representing the twelve tribes
   of Israel.  The loaves must have been large, since two tenth
   deals (about six pints) of flour were used for each, Le 24:3,
   6, 7.  They were served up hot on the sabbath day in the
   Sanctum, when the stale ones, which had been exposed the
   whole week, were taken away, and none but the priests were
   allowed to eat them.  In an extraordinary extremity, David
   and his men partook of the shew-bread, (see 1; Sa 21:6,) the
   urgent necessity alone justifying the act.  The Hebrew
   signifies bread of faces, or, of the face.

 * See
  Ex 25:30  40:23  1Ki 18:31  1Sa 21:4,5  Mt 12:4  Ac 26:7  Jas 1:1