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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 1–7 of 7 · 8 word occurrences in this result

1 Kings 5:17
And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 5:17 · retained source text

And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

1 Kings 7:3
And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 1 Kings 7:3 · retained source text

And it was couered with Cedar aboue vpon the beames, that lay on fortie fiue pillars, fifteene in a row.

1611 marginal noteHeb. ribs.

1 Kings 13:4
And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 13:4 · retained source text

And it came to passe when king Ieroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him: And his hand which hee put foorth against him, dried vp, so that hee could not pull it in againe to him.

1 Kings 13:31
And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 13:31 · retained source text

And it came to passe after hee had buried him, that he spake to his sonnes, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre, wherein the man of God is buried, lay my bones beside his bones.

1 Kings 18:23
Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 18:23 · retained source text

Let them therefore giue vs two bullocks, and let them chuse one bullocke for themselues, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire vnder: and I will dresse the other bullocke, and lay it on wood, and put no fire vnder.

1 Kings 19:5
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 19:5 · retained source text

And as hee lay and slept vnder a Iuniper tree, behold then, an Angel touched him, and sayd vnto him, Arise, and eate.

1 Kings 21:27
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 21:27 · retained source text

And it came to passe when Ahab heard those wordes, that hee rent his clothes, and put sackecloth vpon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

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)