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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

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Showing verses 1–10 of 14 · 14 word occurrences in this result

2 Chronicles 2:6
But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 2:6 · retained source text

But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heauen, and heauen of heauens cannot conteine him? who am I then that I should build him an house? saue onely to burne sacrifice before him?

1611 marginal noteHeb. hath retained, or obtained strength.

1611 marginal note1.King. 8.27. 2.chro. 6.18.

2 Chronicles 6:27
Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 6:27 · retained source text

Then heare thou from heauen, and forgiue the sinne of thy seruants, and of thy people Israel; when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walke, and send raine vpon the land, which thou hast giuen vnto thy people for an inheritance.

2 Chronicles 15:13
That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 15:13 · retained source text

That whosoeuer would not seeke the LORD God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

1611 marginal noteDeut. 13.9.

2 Chronicles 20:21
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 20:21 · retained source text

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed Singers vnto the LORD, and that should praise the beautie of holinesse, as they went out before the armie; and to say, Praise the LORD, for his mercy endureth for euer.

1611 marginal noteHeb. praisers.

2 Chronicles 23:16
¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the Lord’s people.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 23:16 · retained source text

¶ And Iehoiada made a couenant betweene him, and betweene all the people, and betweene the king, that they should be the LORDs people.

2 Chronicles 23:19
And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 23:19 · retained source text

And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was vncleane in any thing, should enter in.

1611 marginal note1.Chro. 26.1.&c.

2 Chronicles 25:13
¶ But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 25:13 · retained source text

¶ But the souldiers of the army which Amaziah sent backe, that they should not goe with him to battell, fell vpon the cities of Iudah, from Samaria euen vnto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoile.

1611 marginal noteHeb. the sonnes of the band.

2 Chronicles 29:11
My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 29:11 · retained source text

My sonnes, bee not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serue him, and that you should minister vnto him, and burne incense.

1611 marginal noteOr, be not now deceiued.

1611 marginal noteOr, offer sacrifice.

1611 marginal noteNum.8.14 and 18.2,6.

2 Chronicles 29:24
And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 2 Chronicles 29:24 · retained source text

And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood vpon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offring and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

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)