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KJV dictionary & concordance

lay

Meaning of “lay”

Sense 1: To put, place, set, arrange, deposit, apply, establish, impose, or cause to be in a stated position or condition. Sense 2: As the past tense of lie, to recline, rest, be situated, or remain in a state. Sense 3: In lay with, to have sexual relations. Sense 4: To press or bear upon. Sense 5: In lay up, lay by, or lay in store, to keep, store, or treasure; in lay wait, lay snares, lay an ambush, or lay siege, to prepare or set. Sense 6: In lay hold or lay hands on, to seize, take, apprehend, or touch. Sense 7: In lay down one's life, to surrender or give it; in lay aside, lay apart, or lay away, to remove, reject, or put off.

Definition sources

KJV context and cross-referencesWebster 1828
241 occurrences232 verses41 booksKJV PCE

Some verses contain the word more than once.

First occurrence: Genesis 19:4

Complete exact-word concordance

Every verse containing “lay”

KJV PCE

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Showing verses 1–10 of 232 · 241 word occurrences in this result

Genesis 19:4
¶ But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 19:4 · retained source text

¶ But before they lay downe, the men of the citie, euen the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and yong, all the people from euery quarter.

Genesis 19:33
And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 19:33 · retained source text

And they made their father drinke wine that night, & the first borne went in, and lay with her father: and he perceiued not, when shee lay downe, nor when she arose.

Genesis 19:34
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 19:34 · retained source text

And it came to passe on the morrow, that the first borne said vnto the yonger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let vs make him drinke wine this night also, and goe thou in, and lye with him, that we may preserue seed of our father.

Genesis 19:35
And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 19:35 · retained source text

And they made their father drinke wine that night also, and the yonger arose, and lay with him: and he perceiued not, when she lay downe, nor when she arose.

Genesis 22:12
And he said, lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 22:12 · retained source text

And he said, Lay not thine hand vpon the lad, neither do thou any thing vnto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withhelde thy sonne, thine onely sonne from mee.

Genesis 28:11
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 28:11 · retained source text

And hee lighted vpon a certaine place, and taried there all night, because the sunne was set: and hee tooke of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillowes, and lay downe in that place to sleepe.

Genesis 30:16
And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 30:16 · retained source text

And Iacob came out of the field in the euening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in vnto mee: for surely I haue hired thee with my sonnes Mandrakes. And hee lay with her that night.

Genesis 34:2
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Genesis 34:2 · retained source text

And when Shechem the sonne of Hamor the Hiuite, prince of the countrey saw her, he tooke her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

1611 marginal noteHebr. humbled her.

Genesis 35:22
And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Genesis 35:22 · retained source text

And it came to passe when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went & lay with Bilhah his fathers concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sonnes of Iacob wertwelue.

1611 marginal noteChap. 49.4.

Genesis 37:22
And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Genesis 37:22 · retained source text

And Reuben saide vnto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wildernesse, and lay no hand vpon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliuer him to his father againe.

Complete reference index — all 232 verses

Where “lay” appears

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Definition evidence

Historical English dictionary sources

Historical definitions

To put or place. To place in order; to dispose with regularity. To spread or set; as, to lay snares. To put; to apply. To assess; to charge; to impose. To impose, as evil, burden, or punishment. To station; to set; as, to lay an ambush. To lay apart, to put away; to reject. To lay aside, to put off or away; not to retain. To lay by, to reserve for future use. To lay down, to deposit; to resign. To lay hold of, to seize; to catch. To lay up, to store; to treasure; to reposit for future use. To lay siege, to besiege; to encompass with an army. To lay wait, to station for private attack; to lay in ambush for. To lay waste, to destroy; to desolate.

volume 2, leaves 44-45 (transitive verb entry)