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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 91–100 of 690 · 783 word occurrences in this result

1 Samuel 15:21
But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 15:21 · retained source text

But the people tooke of the spoile, sheepe and oxen, the chiefe of the things which should haue bene vtterly destroyed, to sacrifice vnto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

1 Samuel 15:29
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 15:29 · retained source text

And also the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent.

1611 marginal noteOr, eternitie: or, victory.

1 Samuel 17:26
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 17:26 · retained source text

And Dauid spake to the men that stood by him, saying; What shall bee done to the man that killeth this Philistine; and taketh away the reproch from Israel? for who is this vncircumcised Philistine, that he should defie the armies of the liuing God?

1 Samuel 18:18
And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 18:18 · retained source text

And Dauid said vnto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my fathers family in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the king?

1 Samuel 18:19
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 18:19 · retained source text

But it came to passe at the time when Merab Sauls daughter should haue beene giuen to Dauid, that shee was giuen vnto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

1 Samuel 19:1
AND Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 19:1 · retained source text

¶ And Saul spake to Ionathan his sonne, and to all his seruants, that they should kill Dauid.

1 Samuel 19:17
And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 19:17 · retained source text

And Saul said vnto Michal, Why hast thou deceiued me so, and sent away mine enemie, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, Hee said vnto me, Let mee goe; Why should I kill thee?

1 Samuel 20:2
And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading & marginal notes
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 20:2 · retained source text

And he said vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die; beholde, my father will doe nothing, either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

1611 marginal noteHeb. vncouer mine eare.

1 Samuel 20:5
And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 20:5 · retained source text

And Dauid said vnto Ionathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moone, and I should not faile to sit with the king at meate: but let me goe, that I may hide my selfe in the fields vnto the third day at euen.

1 Samuel 22:13
And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Samuel 22:13 · retained source text

And Saul saide vnto him, Why haue ye conspired against me, thou and the sonne of Iesse, in that thou hast giuen him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against mee, to lye in waite, as at this day?

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)