Why You Need To Understand KJV Verbs?

The verb endings “-eth” and “-est” are distinctive features of Early Modern English, as used in the KJV.

These suffixes are essential for understanding the structure and meaning of many KJV verses.

The "-eth" Suffix

Function & Usage

💡 "-eth" is a third person singular present tense verb ending.

💡It is used when the subject of the verb is he, she, or it (or a singular noun).

This ending corresponds to the modern English “-s” or “-es” (e.g., “he runs,” “she speaks”).

Examples:
✅ John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

“Believeth” = “believes”

✅ Genesis 5:24: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

“Walked” is past tense, but in other verses: “walketh” = “walks”

✅ Matthew 7:8: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

“Asketh” = “asks”; “receiveth” = “receives”; “seeketh” = “seeks”; “findeth” = “finds”; “knocketh” = “knocks”

Grammatical Rule

⚠️The “-eth” ending is never used for first or second person subjects (“I,” “thou,” “we,” “ye,” etc.).

⚠️ It is strictly for third person singular.

The "-est" Suffix

Function & Usage

💡 “-est” is a second person singular present tense verb ending.

💡It is used when the subject is “thou” (you, singular).

⚠️ There is no direct equivalent in modern English, as modern English uses “you” for both singular and plural and does not change the verb form.

Examples:
✅ John 13:6: Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

"dost" (from "doest") is the second person singular present tense.

✅ Exodus 20:3: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

"shalt" is the future tense of "shall" used exclusively with the second person singular pronoun"thou", this construction indicates a future action or a command directed specifically to one individual.

✅ John 21:17: “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?”

In contrast, the "-est" ending is the present tense verb ending used with "thou." It appears in verbs such as "lovest" (you love) or "speakest" "knowest".

Grammatical Rule

"shalt" is the future tense form for "thou," while "-est" is the present tense ending for "thou," and both serve to make the subject and tense clear in the KJV, preserving the personal and direct nature of the address.

⚠️ This ending is unique to Early Modern English and is not found in modern usage.

Common Verb Forms

Here is a table of common verb forms and their corresponding KJV English endings, with examples from Scripture:

Grammatical Rule:

💡The "-est" ending is for the second person singular ("thou").

💡The "-eth" ending is for the third person singular ("he/she/it").

💡Plural forms use the base verb, as in modern English, with "ye" or "they" as the subject.

💡Some irregular verbs (such as "be" and "have") have unique forms.

These forms are distinctive to the KJV and Early Modern English, and recognizing them aids in understanding the subject and tense of each verb in Scripture.

Analysis of Scriptural Examples

Let us examine a passage with both endings:

✅ John 1:38: Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

"saith"= "says" (third person singular, "-eth" ending)
"dwellest" = "do you dwell" (second person singular, "-est" ending, addressed to "thou")

✅ Matthew 6:6: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

“thou prayest” (second person singular, “you pray”)
"seeth"= "says" (third person singular, "-eth" ending)

✅ John 1:42: And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

"Thou art" = "are" (second person singular, present tense)
"shalt" is the future tense of "shall" used exclusively with the second person singular pronoun "thou", this construction indicates a future action or a command directed specifically to one individual.

Theological & Interpretive Significance

The use of “-eth” and “-est” in the KJV is not merely archaic but serves to:

1. Clarify the subject (singular vs. plural, second vs. third person)
2. Preserve distinctions found in the original Hebrew and Greek texts
3. Convey reverence and formality in addressing God and others

✅ For example, in John 21:17, Jesus asks Peter, “Lovest thou me?”—the use of “lovest” and “thou” makes the question deeply personal and direct.

The Value of KJV Verbs Distinctions

The verb endings “-eth” and “-est” in the King James Version are essential grammatical markers:

💡 “-eth”:Third person singular present tense (he/she/it believes)

💡 “-est”: Second person singular present tense (thou believest)

Understanding these endings allows for a more precise reading of the KJV Bible, helping the reader discern the subject and the intended recipient of each statement.

This precision reflects the translators’ commitment to faithfully rendering the original languages into English, maintaining both accuracy and reverence in the text.

Also see:

• Read & Understand KJV Bible English
• Understand KJV Bible Personal Pronouns
• The Elizabethan Pronoun System