Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -- Volume AB

The field is the world.
Matt. xiii. 38.

The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Rev. i. 20.

The verb to be (including the forms is, was, etc.) is used in forming the passive voice of other verbs; as, John has been struck by James. It is also used with the past participle of many intransitive verbs to express a state of the subject. But have is now more commonly used as the auxiliary, though expressing a different sense; as, "Ye have come too late -- but ye are come. " "The minstrel boy to the war is gone." The present and imperfect tenses form, with the infinitive, a particular future tense, which expresses necessity, duty, or purpose; as, government is to be supported; we are to pay our just debts; the deed is to be signed to-morrow.

Have or had been, followed by to, implies movement. "I have been to Paris." Sydney Smith. "Have you been to Franchard ?" R. L. Stevenson.

Been, or ben, was anciently the plural of the indicative present. "Ye ben light of the world." Wyclif, Matt. v. 14. Afterwards be was used, as in our Bible: "They that be with us are more than they that be with them." 2 Kings vi. 16. Ben was also the old infinitive: "To ben of such power." R. of Gloucester. Be is used as a form of the present subjunctive: "But if it be a question of words and names." Acts xviii. 15. But the indicative forms, is and are, with if, are more commonly used.

-- Be it so, a phrase of supposition, equivalent to suppose it to be so; or of permission, signifying let it be so. Shak.

-- If so be, in case.

-- To be from, to have come from; as, from what place are you? I am from Chicago.

-- To let be, to omit, or leave untouched; to let alone. "Let be, therefore, my vengeance to dissuade." Spenser.