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KJV dictionary & concordance

shall

Meaning of “shall”

An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.

Definition sources

KJV context and cross-referencesWebster 1828
9,837 occurrences6,061 verses65 booksKJV PCE

Some verses contain the word more than once.

First occurrence: Genesis 1:29

Complete exact-word concordance

Every verse containing “shall”

KJV PCE

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Showing verses 1–10 of 15 · 25 word occurrences in this result

Esther 1:15
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Esther 1:15 · retained source text

What shall wee doe vnto the Queene Uasthi, according to law, because she hath not performed the commandement of the king Ahasuerus, by the chamberlens?

1611 marginal noteHebr. what to doe?

Esther 1:17
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
3 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Esther 1:17 · retained source text

For this deed of the queene shall come abroad vnto all women, so that they shal despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall bee reported; The king Ahasuerus commanded Uasthi the queene to be brought in before him, but she came not.

Esther 1:18
Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Esther 1:18 · retained source text

Likewise shall the Ladies of Persia and Media say this day vnto all the kings princes, which haue heard of the deed of the Queene. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

Esther 1:20
And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
3 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Esther 1:20 · retained source text

And when the kings decree, which he shal make, shalbe published throughout all his empire, (for it is great:) all the wiues shall giue to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

Esther 4:11
All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Esther 4:11 · retained source text

All the Kings seruants, and the people of the kings prouinces do know, that whosoeuer, whether man or woman, shall come vnto the King into the inner court, who is not called, there is one lawe of his to put him to death, except such to whom the King shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may liue: but I haue not beene called to come in vnto the King, these thirtie dayes.

Esther 4:14
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Esther 4:14 · retained source text

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliuerance arise to the Iewes from another place, but thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed: And who knoweth, whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this?

1611 marginal noteHeb. respiration.

Esther 5:3
Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Esther 5:3 · retained source text

Then sayd the King vnto her, What wilt thou, Queene Esther? and what is thy request? it shall bee euen giuen thee to the halfe of the kingdome.

Esther 5:6
¶ And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Esther 5:6 · retained source text

¶ And the king said vnto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, and it shall be granted thee? and what is thy request? euen to the halfe of the kingdome it shall be performed.

Esther 5:8
If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Esther 5:8 · retained source text

If I haue found fauour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to performe my request, let the king, and Haman, come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I wil do to morow, as the king hath said.

1611 marginal noteHeb. to doe.

Esther 6:6
So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Esther 6:6 · retained source text

So Haman came in, and the king said vnto him, What shall be done vnto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? (now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to doe honour, more then to my selfe?)

1611 marginal noteHebr. in whose honour the King delighteth.

Reference index — this page of 6,061 verses

Use the concordance pages above to reach every reference.

Where “shall” appears

Select a book to filter the concordance. Occurrences and verses are counted separately.

Genesis259 occurrences
184 verses
Exodus497 occurrences
330 verses
Leviticus971 occurrences
591 verses
Numbers605 occurrences
367 verses
Deuteronomy496 occurrences
339 verses
Joshua104 occurrences
63 verses
Judges64 occurrences
45 verses
Ruth10 occurrences
9 verses
1 Samuel127 occurrences
91 verses
2 Samuel83 occurrences
66 verses
1 Kings124 occurrences
82 verses
2 Kings105 occurrences
75 verses
1 Chronicles27 occurrences
20 verses
2 Chronicles74 occurrences
55 verses
Ezra9 occurrences
9 verses
Nehemiah15 occurrences
14 verses
Esther25 occurrences
15 verses
Job240 occurrences
152 verses
Psalms529 occurrences
368 verses
Proverbs259 occurrences
185 verses
Ecclesiastes66 occurrences
43 verses
Song of Solomon6 occurrences
4 verses
Isaiah1,128 occurrences
566 verses
Jeremiah702 occurrences
410 verses
Lamentations10 occurrences
7 verses
Ezekiel854 occurrences
455 verses
Daniel252 occurrences
101 verses
Hosea147 occurrences
80 verses
Joel60 occurrences
27 verses
Amos104 occurrences
62 verses
Obadiah23 occurrences
11 verses
Jonah3 occurrences
3 verses
Micah88 occurrences
50 verses
Nahum38 occurrences
18 verses
Habakkuk40 occurrences
22 verses
Zephaniah43 occurrences
23 verses
Haggai6 occurrences
5 verses
Zechariah195 occurrences
94 verses
Malachi34 occurrences
19 verses
Matthew344 occurrences
227 verses
Mark156 occurrences
95 verses
Luke268 occurrences
191 verses
John136 occurrences
103 verses
Acts67 occurrences
50 verses
Romans81 occurrences
67 verses
1 Corinthians68 occurrences
48 verses
2 Corinthians23 occurrences
19 verses
Galatians15 occurrences
14 verses
Ephesians7 occurrences
5 verses
Philippians12 occurrences
11 verses
Colossians6 occurrences
5 verses
1 Thessalonians7 occurrences
4 verses
2 Thessalonians9 occurrences
7 verses
1 Timothy4 occurrences
4 verses
2 Timothy16 occurrences
14 verses
Titus1 occurrence
1 verse
Philemon1 occurrence
1 verse
Hebrews29 occurrences
25 verses
James21 occurrences
17 verses
1 Peter11 occurrences
10 verses
2 Peter17 occurrences
12 verses
1 John14 occurrences
8 verses
2 John1 occurrence
1 verse
3 John2 occurrences
1 verse
Revelation99 occurrences
61 verses

Source order

Definition evidence

Historical English dictionary sources

Historical definitions

In the present tense, shall, before a verb in the infinitive, forms the future tense; but its force and effect are different with different persons or personal pronouns. […] In the second and third persons, shall implies a promise, command or determination. 'You shall receive your wages, ' 'he shall receive his wages, ' imply that you or he ought to receive them; but usage gives these phrases the force of a promise in the person uttering them.

volume 2, leaf 575, column 3 (entry starts at OCR line 34)