Can – (modal verb) Have power or ability.
A normal verb expresses an action. A modal verb is an auxiliary verb that expresses necessity or possibility, and is always used with the base-form of a Normal verb. English modal verbs include must, shall, will, should, would, can, could, may, and might.
God used this word 221 times in Scripture, and in every Dispensation. And it always means “To have power or ability”.
The words ‘should’ and ‘would’ are expressions of hopefulness. Therefore, they are the most subjective.
The words ‘can, could, may, might, and will’ express varying degrees of subjectivity; dependent on mitigating factors or circumstances that might alter the outcome.
The word ‘shall’ is of the utmost imperative sense; there are no contingencies; there is nothing that can or will alter the outcome. The word ‘shall’ is like saying “there is no way around it”, “it is a done deal”.
In today’s dictionaries, most of the example-uses of the word ‘can’ should actually be ‘may’.
See also Canst, Dispensation, May, Must, Shall, Will