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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 13 · 17 word occurrences in this result

Deuteronomy 1:18
And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 1:18 · retained source text

And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should doe.

Deuteronomy 1:33
Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 1:33 · retained source text

Who went in the way before you to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should goe, and in a cloud by day.

1611 marginal noteExod. 13.21.

Deuteronomy 1:39
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 1:39 · retained source text

Moreouer, your litle ones, which ye said should be a pray, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge betweene good and euil, they shall goe in thither; and vnto them will I giue it, and they shall possesse it.

Deuteronomy 4:5
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 4:5 · retained source text

Behold, I haue taught you Statutes, and Iudgements, euen as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so, in the land whither ye goe to possesse it.

Deuteronomy 4:21
Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 4:21 · retained source text

Furthermore, the LORD was angry with mee for your sakes, and sware that I should not goe ouer Iordan, and that I should not goe in vnto that good land which the LORD thy God giueth thee for an inheritance.

Deuteronomy 4:42
That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live:
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 4:42 · retained source text

That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour vnawares, and hated him not in times past, and that fleeing vnto one of these cities he might liue:

Deuteronomy 5:25
Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 5:25 · retained source text

Now therefore why should wee die? for this great fire will consume vs. If we heare the voyce of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

1611 marginal noteHeb. adde to heare.

Deuteronomy 17:16
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 17:16 · retained source text

But he shall not multiply horses to himselfe, nor cause the people to returne to Egypt, to the ende that hee should multiply horses: for as much as the LORD hath said vnto you, Yee shall hencefoorth returne no more that way.

Deuteronomy 20:18
That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 20:18 · retained source text

That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they haue done vnto their gods, so should ye sinne against the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 25:3
Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
2 word occurrences in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Deuteronomy 25:3 · retained source text

Fourtie stripes he may giue him, and not exceed: lest if he should exceede, and beate him aboue these, with many stripes, then thy brother should seeme vile vnto thee.

1611 marginal note2.Cor. 11.24.

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)