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

Joshua 8:29
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Joshua 8:29 · retained source text

And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree vntil euentide: and assoone as the sunne was downe, Ioshua commaunded that they should take his carkeise downe from the tree, and cast it at the entring of the gate of the citie, and raise thereon a great heape of stones that remaineth vnto this day.

1611 marginal noteChap. 7.25.

Joshua 8:33
And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · Joshua 8:33 · retained source text

And all Israel, and their Elders, and Officers, and their Iudges, stood on this side the Arke, and on that side, before the Priests the Leuites, which bare the Arke of the Couenant of the LORD, aswell the stranger, as he that was borne among them: halfe of them ouer against mount Gerizim, and halfe of them ouer against mount Ebal, as Moses the seruant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should blesse the people of Israel.

1611 marginal noteDeut. 11.29. & 27.12.

Joshua 9:27
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Joshua 9:27 · retained source text

And Ioshua made them that day, hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the Congregation, and for the Altar of the LORD, euen vnto this day, in the place which he should choose.

Joshua 11:20
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Joshua 11:20 · retained source text

For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battell, that he might destroy them vtterly, & that they might haue no fauour: but that hee might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Joshua 22:28
Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Joshua 22:28 · retained source text

Therefore said we, that it shalbe, when they should so say to vs, or to our generations in time to come, that wee may say againe, Beholde the paterne of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offrings, nor for sacrifices, but it is a witnes betweene vs and you.

Joshua 22:29
God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · Joshua 22:29 · retained source text

God forbid that we should rebell against the LORD, and turne this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meate offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the Altar of the LORD our God that is before his Tabernacle.

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)