shewbread

views updated May 14 2018

shewbread twelve loaves of unleavened bread placed every Sabbath in the Jewish Temple and eaten by the priests at the end of the week. David, when in flight from Saul (1 Samuel 21:4–6) once ate the shewbread himself; in Matthew 12:3–4, Jesus cites this to the Pharisees to justify his disciples picking and eating ears of corn on the Sabbath.

Recorded in English from the mid 16th century, the term, suggested by German Schaubrot, represents Hebrew leḥem pānīm, literally ‘bread of the face (of God)’.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

shewbread

views updated Jun 27 2018

shew·bread (also show·bread) / ˈshōˌbred/ • n. twelve loaves placed every Sabbath in the Jewish Temple and eaten by the priests at the end of the week.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

shewbread

views updated May 23 2018

shewbread twelve loaves placed every Sabbath ‘before the Lord’ in the Jewish temple. XVI. f. shew, var. of SHOW vb. + BREAD, after G. schaubrot, repr. Heb. lehem pānim ‘bread of presence’.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD