The term "shall" is a modal verb frequently used in the Bible, particularly in the King James Version and other traditional translations, to express future actions, commands, promises, or determinations. In the Berean Standard Bible , "shall" continues to serve as a significant linguistic tool to convey divine intentions, prophetic declarations, and moral imperatives.

Usage in Divine Promises and Prophecies

"Shall" is often employed in the context of God's promises and prophecies, indicating certainty and divine assurance. For instance, in Genesis 12:2 , God promises Abram, "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." Here, "shall" underscores the assured future reality of Abram's role as a blessing to others.

In prophetic literature, "shall" is used to convey the inevitability of God's plans. Isaiah 9:6 states, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders." This use of "shall" emphasizes the certainty of the Messiah's coming and His future reign.

Moral and Ethical Commands

The use of "shall" in the context of commandments and laws is prevalent throughout the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments, for example, utilize "shall" to express moral imperatives. Exodus 20:13 commands, "You shall not murder." Here, "shall" functions as a directive, establishing a clear and binding moral obligation.

Expressions of Divine Will

"Shall" is also used to articulate God's will and intentions for His people. In Leviticus 19:2 , God instructs Moses, "Speak to the entire congregation of the Israelites and tell them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.’" This use of "shall" conveys God's desire for His people to reflect His holiness.

Future Events and Eschatology

In eschatological contexts, "shall" is used to describe future events with certainty. Revelation 21:4 declares, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away." The use of "shall" here assures believers of the future reality of God's ultimate restoration and the end of suffering.

Covenantal Language

"Shall" is integral to the language of covenants, where it often outlines the stipulations and promises between God and His people. In Deuteronomy 28:1 , the blessings for obedience are introduced with, "If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the LORD your God shall set you high above all the nations of the earth." This use of "shall" indicates the conditional nature of the covenant blessings.

Conclusion

The word "shall" in the Bible serves as a powerful linguistic tool that conveys certainty, divine authority, and moral obligation. Its use in promises, prophecies, commandments, and eschatological declarations underscores the reliability and unchanging nature of God's word and His plans for humanity.1. (v. i. & auxiliary.) To owe; to be under obligation for.

2. (v. i. & auxiliary.) To be obliged; must.

3. (v. i. & auxiliary.) As an auxiliary, shall indicates a duty or necessity whose obligation is derived from the person speaking; as, you shall go; he shall go; that is, I order or promise your going. It thus ordinarily expresses, in the second and third persons, a command, a threat, or a promise. If the auxiliary be emphasized, the command is made more imperative, the promise or that more positive and sure. It is also employed in the language of prophecy; as, the day shall come when . . . , since a promise or threat and an authoritative prophecy nearly coincide in significance. In shall with the first person, the necessity of the action is sometimes implied as residing elsewhere than in the speaker.

2071. esomai -- should be, shall come to pass, may have
... should be, shall come to pass, may have. Transliteration: esomai Phonetic Spelling:
(es'-om-ahee) Short Definition: be. ... should be, shall come to pass, may have ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2071.htm - 6k

3131. manna -- manna
... 'As was the first Redeemer,' so ran the Midrash, 'so shall be the final Redeemer;
as the first Redeemer caused the manna to fall from heaven, even so shall the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3131.htm - 7k

3195. mello -- to be about to
... be (almost), (that which is, things, + which was for) to come, intend, was to (be),
mean, mind, be at the point, (be) ready, + return, shall (begin), (which ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3195.htm - 9k

2435. hilasterion -- propitiatory
... Spelling: (hil-as-tay'-ree-on) Short Definition: a sin offering, covering Definition:
(a) a sin offering, by which the wrath of the deity shall be appeased; a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2435.htm - 7k

1524. eiseimi -- to go in, enter
... of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eiseimi Phonetic Spelling: (ice'-i-mee) Short
Definition: I go in, enter Definition: I go in, enter (originally: I shall go in ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1524.htm - 6k

2939. ktistes -- a creator
... 1 Pet 4:19: "Therefore, those also who suffer according to the (2307 ) of (2316 )
shall entrust their souls to a faithful (2939 ) in doing what is right" (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2939.htm - 7k

1826. exeimi -- to go forth
... go forth. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: exeimi Phonetic Spelling:
(ex'-i-mee) Short Definition: I go out, depart Definition: (originally: I shall ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1826.htm - 6k

4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... " BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY (4102); AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL
HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM" (). 1 Jn 5:4: "For conquers the world; ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4102.htm - 18k

191. akouo -- to hear, listen
... A primary verb; to hear (in various senses) -- give (in the) audience (of), come
(to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/191.htm - 11k

3094. Yehallelel -- "he shall praise God," two Israelites
... Yehallelel. 3095 . "he shall praise God," two Israelites. Transliteration: Yehallelel
Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-hal-lel-ale') Short Definition: Jehallelel. ...
/hebrew/3094.htm - 6k

7610. Shear Yashub -- "a remnant shall return," son of Isaiah
... "a remnant shall return," son of Isaiah. Transliteration: Shear Yashub Phonetic
Spelling: (sheh-awr'yaw-shoob') Short Definition: Shear-jashub. ...
/hebrew/7610.htm - 6k

3426. yesh -- being, substance, existence, is
... wealth (1), will (1), would (1). there are, he, it, shall, there, there may,
there shall, there should be,. Perhaps from an unused root ...
/hebrew/3426.htm - 6k

6264. athid -- ready, prepared
... treasures (1). things that shall come, ready, treasures. From athad; prepared;
by implication, skilful; feminine plural the future ...
/hebrew/6264.htm - 6k

518. im -- if
... 1), none (1), nor (7), nothing (1), O (1), Oh (2), only (4), only* (7), or (75),
rather* (11), should (1), since (4), surely (6), surely there shall be neither ...
/hebrew/518.htm - 6k

7523. ratsach -- to murder, slay
... Definition to murder, slay NASB Word Usage killed (1), kills the manslayer (1),
manslayer (18), murder (7), murdered (2), murderer (12), murderer shall be put ...
/hebrew/7523.htm - 6k

3117. yom -- day
... the days (1), day that the period (1), day's (6), day's every day (1), daylight*
(1), days (635), days on the day (1), days to day (1), days you shall daily (1 ...
/hebrew/3117.htm - 7k

7126. qarab -- to come near, approach
... 1), near (9), offer (43), offered (10), offering (2), offers (7), present (40),
presented (16), presenting (3), presents (4), presents his shall present (1 ...
/hebrew/7126.htm - 6k

3722a. kaphar -- to cover over, pacify, make propitiation
... to cover over, pacify, make propitiation NASB Word Usage appease (1), appease*
(1), atone (3), atoned (2), atonement is made (1), atonement shall be made (1 ...
/hebrew/3722a.htm - 6k

3254. yasaph -- to add
... 4), increase you a more (1), increased (6), increases (3), increasing (2), intensify
(1), join (1), longer (9), longer* (7), more (18), more shall be done (1 ...
/hebrew/3254.htm - 6k

Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?
Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved? . ... [Translated by Rev. William Wilson,
MA]. Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved? Elucidations. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clement/who is the rich man that shall be saved/

Of the Prerogatives which the Elect Shall Enjoy in Heaven.
... 3. Of the Prerogatives which the Elect shall enjoy in Heaven. ... 1. They shall have
the kingdom of heaven for their inheritance (Matthew 25. 1 Pet. ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/3 of the prerogatives which.htm

When Shall These Things Be?
... LUKE Chaps. XIII to XXIV WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE? 'And when ye shall see Jerusalem
compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.21. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/when shall these things be.htm

You Shall be Glorified
... THE SECOND CENTURY 18 You shall be glorified. You shall be glorified, you
shall live in communion with Him, you shall ascend into ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/18 you shall be glorified.htm

I Shall Explain to You Also How it is that the Soul is Transfused ...
... 9 I shall explain to you also how it is that the soul is transfused into? I shall
explain to you also how it is that the soul is transfused into five bodies. ...
/.../the acts of the disputation with the heresiarch manes/9 i shall explain to.htm

It Shall not be Forgiven.
... IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of
man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/it shall not be forgiven.htm

"In Every Soul that Shall be Saved is a Godly Will that Never ...
... ANENT CERTAIN POINTS IN THE FOREGOING FOURTEEN REVELATIONS CHAPTER LIII "In every
soul that shall be saved is a Godly Will that never assented to sin, nor ever ...
/.../julian/revelations of divine love/chapter liii in every soul.htm

And that He Shall be Despised and Tormented and in the End Put to ...
... THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Chapter 68 And that He shall
be despised and tormented and in the end put to death? ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 68 and that he.htm

We Shall Follow the Example of Abdemelech, if we Believe that the ...
... Book II. Chapter XI. We shall follow the example of Abdemelech, if we believe
that the Son and Holy? We shall follow the example ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xi we shall follow.htm

Men Shall be Actually Raised: the World Shall not be Annihilated ...
... Against Heresies: Book V Chapter XXXVI."Men shall be actually raised: the world
shall not be annihilated; but there shall be various mansions for the saints ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxvi men shall be actually.htm

Shall (64703 Occurrences)
... 3. (vi & auxiliary.) As an auxiliary, shall indicates a duty or necessity whose
obligation is derived from the person speaking; as, you shall go; he shall go ...
/s/shall.htm - 7k

Sojourns (18 Occurrences)
... Exodus 3:22 but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth
in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye ...
/s/sojourns.htm - 12k

25000 (11 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 45:1 Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you
shall offer an offering to Yahweh, a holy portion of the land; the length ...
/num/25000.htm - 10k

Home-born (14 Occurrences)
... Home-born (14 Occurrences). Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is home-born,
and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. (ASV DBY WBS). ...
/h/home-born.htm - 11k

Valuation (22 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 5:15 If any one commit a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things
of Jehovah; then he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram ...
/v/valuation.htm - 14k

Sleeps (20 Occurrences)
... Exodus 22:16 "If a man entices a virgin who isn't pledged to be married, and lies
with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. (See NIV). ...
/s/sleeps.htm - 11k

Vanish (21 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they
shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be ...
/v/vanish.htm - 12k

Soever (24 Occurrences)
... Matthew 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in ...
/s/soever.htm - 14k

Killeth (23 Occurrences)
... (ASV). John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. (KJV ASV WBS). ...
/k/killeth.htm - 13k

Sealskin (8 Occurrences)
... Sealskin (8 Occurrences). Numbers 4:6 and shall put a covering of sealskin on it,
and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. ...
/s/sealskin.htm - 9k

Is “this too shall pass” found in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why is "You shall not murder" in the Ten Commandments? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean and when will it happen that every knee shall bow? | GotQuestions.org

Shall: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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