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KJV dictionary & concordance

should

Meaning of “should”

A verb expressing duty, propriety, expectation, intention, purpose, condition, appointed outcome, or a future event viewed from another time or statement.

Definition sources

KJV context and cross-referencesWebster 1828
783 occurrences690 verses60 booksKJV PCE

Some verses contain the word more than once.

First occurrence: Genesis 2:18

Complete exact-word concordance

Every verse containing “should”

KJV PCE

Remembering a verse with different wording? Find a verse across the Bible →

Showing verses 1–8 of 8 · 8 word occurrences in this result

1 Kings 1:27
Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 1:27 · retained source text

Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it vnto thy seruant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king, after him?

1 Kings 2:1
NOW the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 2:1 · retained source text

¶ Now the dayes of Dauid drew nigh, that he should die, and he charged Solomon his sonne, saying;

1 Kings 2:15
And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the Lord.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 2:15 · retained source text

And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdome was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should raigne: howbeit the kingdome is turned about, and is become my brothers: for it was his from the LORD.

1 Kings 6:6
The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 1 Kings 6:6 · retained source text

The nethermost chamber was fiue cubites broad, and the middle was sixe cubites broad, and the third was seuen cubites broad: for without in the wall of the house hee made narrowed rests round about, that the beames should not bee fastened in the walles of the house.

1611 marginal noteHeb. narrowings, or, rebatements.

1 Kings 8:36
Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 8:36 · retained source text

Then heare thou in heauen, and forgiue the sinne of thy seruants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walke, and giue raine vpon thy land which thou hast giuen to thy people for an inheritance.

1 Kings 11:10
And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 1 Kings 11:10 · retained source text

And had commaunded him concerning this thing, that hee should not goe after other gods: but hee kept not that which the LORD commanded.

1611 marginal noteChap. 6.12.

1 Kings 14:2
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 1 Kings 14:2 · retained source text

And Ieroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thy selfe, that thou be not knowen to be the wife of Ieroboam: and get thee to Shiloh: Behold, there is Ahiiah the Prophet, which told mee that I should be king ouer this people.

1611 marginal noteChap. 11.31.

1 Kings 21:3
And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 21:3 · retained source text

And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it mee, that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers vnto thee.

Complete reference index — all 690 verses

Where “should” appears

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

Genesis22 occurrences
21 verses
Exodus9 occurrences
8 verses
Leviticus10 occurrences
10 verses
Numbers14 occurrences
13 verses
Deuteronomy17 occurrences
13 verses
Joshua7 occurrences
7 verses
Judges12 occurrences
11 verses
Ruth3 occurrences
1 verse
1 Samuel23 occurrences
22 verses
2 Samuel19 occurrences
17 verses
1 Kings8 occurrences
8 verses
2 Kings11 occurrences
11 verses
1 Chronicles9 occurrences
9 verses
2 Chronicles14 occurrences
14 verses
Ezra10 occurrences
8 verses
Nehemiah21 occurrences
18 verses
Esther15 occurrences
12 verses
Job43 occurrences
33 verses
Psalms24 occurrences
20 verses
Proverbs3 occurrences
3 verses
Ecclesiastes9 occurrences
8 verses
Song of Solomon5 occurrences
3 verses
Isaiah22 occurrences
19 verses
Jeremiah29 occurrences
23 verses
Lamentations6 occurrences
6 verses
Ezekiel19 occurrences
16 verses
Daniel16 occurrences
16 verses
Hosea3 occurrences
3 verses
Joel2 occurrences
1 verse
Jonah1 occurrence
1 verse
Micah1 occurrence
1 verse
Zephaniah1 occurrence
1 verse
Haggai1 occurrence
1 verse
Zechariah5 occurrences
5 verses
Malachi3 occurrences
2 verses
Matthew28 occurrences
22 verses
Mark32 occurrences
28 verses
Luke36 occurrences
36 verses
John59 occurrences
53 verses
Acts61 occurrences
52 verses
Romans17 occurrences
14 verses
1 Corinthians20 occurrences
17 verses
2 Corinthians20 occurrences
17 verses
Galatians12 occurrences
12 verses
Ephesians7 occurrences
7 verses
Philippians4 occurrences
4 verses
Colossians2 occurrences
2 verses
1 Thessalonians6 occurrences
6 verses
2 Thessalonians2 occurrences
2 verses
1 Timothy1 occurrence
1 verse
Titus2 occurrences
2 verses
Philemon1 occurrence
1 verse
Hebrews16 occurrences
16 verses
James1 occurrence
1 verse
1 Peter7 occurrences
7 verses
2 Peter3 occurrences
2 verses
1 John4 occurrences
4 verses
2 John1 occurrence
1 verse
Jude3 occurrences
2 verses
Revelation21 occurrences
16 verses

Source order

Definition evidence

Historical English dictionary sources

Historical definitions

The preterit of shall, but now used as an auxiliary verb, either in the past time or conditional present. 'He should have paid the debt at the time the note became due.' Should here denotes past time. 'I should ride to town this day if the weather would permit.' Here should expresses present or future time conditionally. […] When should in this person is uttered without emphasis, it declares simply that an event would take place, on some condition or under circumstances.

volume 2, leaf 588, column 2 (entry starts at OCR line 51)