King James Bible Dictionary

Exodus 25:30 (R.V. marg., "presence bread"); 1 Chronicles 9:32 (marg., "bread of ordering"); Numbers 4:7: called "hallowed bread" (R.V., "holy bread") in 1 Samuel 21:1-6.

This bread consisted of twelve loaves made of the finest flour. They were flat and thin, and were placed in two rows of six each on a table in the holy place before the Lord. They were renewed every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:5-9), and those that were removed to give place to the new ones were to be eaten by the priests only in the holy place (see 1 Samuel 21:3-6; comp. Matthew 12:3, 4).

The number of the loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel, and also the entire spiritual Israel, "the true Israel;" and the placing of them on the table symbolized the entire consecration of Israel to the Lord, and their acceptance of God as their God. The table for the bread was made of acacia wood, 3 feet long, 18 inches broad, and 2 feet 3 inches high. It was plated with pure gold. Two staves, plated with gold, passed through golden rings, were used for carrying it.

General references
Hebrews 9:2

Called Hallowed Bread
1 Samuel 21:6

Ordinance concerning
Leviticus 24:5-9

Required to be kept before the Lord continually
Exodus 25:30; 2 Chronicles 2:4

Provided by a yearly per capita tax
Nehemiah 10:32-33

Prepared by the Levites
1 Chronicles 9:32; 1 Chronicles 23:29

Unlawfully eaten by David
1 Samuel 21:6; Matthew 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3-4

Placed on the table of shewbread
Exodus 40:22-23

Table of:

General references
Hebrews 9:2

Ordinances concerning
Exodus 25:23-28; Exodus 37:10-15

Its situation in the tabernacle
Exodus 26:35; Exodus 40:22

Furniture of
Exodus 25:29-30; Exodus 37:16; Numbers 4:7

Consecration of
Exodus 30:26-27; Exodus 30:29

How removed
Numbers 4:7; Numbers 4:15

For the temple
1 Kings 7:48; 1 Kings 7:50; 2 Chronicles 4:19; 2 Chronicles 4:22

(Exodus 25:30; 35:13; 39:36) etc. literally "bread of the face" or "faces." Shew-bread was unleavened bread placed upon a table which stood in the sanctuary together with the seven-branched candlestick and the altar of incense. See (Exodus 25:23-30) for description of this table. Every Sabbath twelve newly baked loaves, representing the twelve tribes of Isr'l, were put on it in two rows, six in each, and sprinkled with incense, where they remained till the following Sabbath. Then they were replaced by twelve new ones, the incense was burned, and they were eaten by the priests in the holy place, out of which they might not be removed, The title "bread of the face" seems to indicate that bread through which God is seen, that is, with the participation of which the seeing of God is bound up, or through the participation of which man attains the sight of God whence it follows that we have not to think of bread merely as such as the means of nourishing the bodily life, but as spiritual food as a means of appropriating and retaining that life which consists In seeing the face of God.

SHEW-BREAD. [See Show-bread.]

SHEW'ER, noun One that shows. [See Shower.]

SHEWING. [See Showing.]

SHOW, verb transitive preterit tense showed; participle passive shown or showed. It is sometimes written shew, shewed, shewn. [If the radical letter lost was a labial, show coincides with the Gr.]

1. To exhibit or present to the view of others.

Go thy way, show thyself to the priest. Matthew 8:1.

2. To afford to the eye or to notice; to contain in a visible form.

Nor want we skill o rart, from whence to raise

Magnificence; and what can heaven show more? Milton.

3. To make or enable to see.

4. To make or enable to perceive.

5. To make to know; to cause to understand; to make known; to teach or inform.

Know, I am sent

To show thee what shall come in future days. Milton.

6. To prove; to manifest.

I'll show my duty by my timely care. Dryden.

7. T oinform; to teach; with of.

The time cometh when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. John 16:1.

8. To point out, as a guide.

Thou shalt show them th eway in which they must walk. Exodus 18:1.

9. To bestow; to confer; to afford; as, to show favor or mercy on any person.

10. To prove by evidence, testimony or authentic registers or documents.

They could not show their father's house. Ezra 2:1.

11. To disclose; to make known.

I durst not show mine opinion. Job 32:1.

12. To discover; to explain; as, to show a dream or interpretation.

To show forth, to manifest; to publish; to proclaim.

SHOW, verb intransitive

1. To appear; to look; to be in appearance.

Just such she shows before a rising storm. Dryden.

2. To have appearance; to become or suit well or ill.

My lord of York, it better show'd with you. Obs. Shak.

SHOW, noun

1. Superficial appearance; not reality.

Mild heav'n

Disapproves that care, though wise in show. Milton.

2. A spectacle; something offered to view for money.

3. Ostentatious display or parade.

I envy none their pageantry and show. Young.

4. Appearance as an object of notice.

The city itself makes the noblest showof any in the world. Addison.

5. Public appearance, in distinction of concealment; as an open show.

6. Semblance; likeness.

In show plebeian angel militant. Milton.

7. Seciousness; plausibility.

But a short exile must for show precede. Dryden.

8. External appearance.

And forc'd, at least in show, to prize it more. Dryden.

9. Exhibition in view; as a show o fcattle, or cattle-show.

10. Pomp; magnificent spectacle.

As for triumphs, masks, feasts, and such shows- Bacon.

11. A phantom; as a fairy show.

12. Representative action; as a dumb show.

13. External appearance; hypocritical pretense.

Who devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers. Luke 20:1.

SHOW-BREAD, noun [show and bread.] Among the Jews, bread of exhibition; the

SHEW-BREAD, loaves of bread which the priest of the week placed before the Lord, on the golden table in the sanctuary. They were shaped like a brick, were ten palms long and five wide, weighing about eight pounds each. They were made of fine flour unleavened, and changed every sabbath. The loaves were twelve in number, and represented the twelve tribes of Israel. They were to be eaten by the priest only.

SHOWER, noun One who shows or exhibits.

SHOW'ER, noun [Qu. Heb. Ch. Ar. to be rough, to shudder.]

1. A fall of rain or hail, a sort of duration. It may be applied to like a fall of snow, but this seldon occurs. It is applied to a fall of rain or hail of short continuance, or of more or less violence, but never to a storm of long continuance.

2. A fall of thing from the air in thick succession; as a shower of darts or arrows; a shower of stones.

3. A copious supply bestowed; liberal distribution; as a great shower of gifts.

SHOW'ER, verb transitive

1. To water with a shower; to wet copiously with rain; as, to shower the earth.

2. To bestow liberally; to distribute or scatter in abundance.

Cesar's favor,

That show'rs down greatness on his friends. Addison.

3. To be wet with falling water, as in the shower-bath.

SHOW'ER, verb intransitive To rain with showers.

SHOW'ERED, participle passive Wet with a shower; watered abundantly; bestowed or distributed liberally.

SHOW'ERLESS, adjective Without showers.

SHOW'ERY, adjective Raining in showers; abounding with frequent falls of rain.

SHOWILY, adverb In a showy manner; pompously; with parade.

SHOWINESS, noun State of being showy; pompousness; great parade.

SHOWISH, adjective

1. Splendid; gaudy. [Little used.]

2. Ostentatious.

SHOWN, participle passive of show. Exhibited; manifested; proved.

SHOWY, adjective

1. Splendid; gay; gaudy; making a great show; fine.

2. Ostentatious.