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121. Night Watches

From: Manners and Customs of the Bible

By: James M. Freeman

• 1 min. read • grade level: 8

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Exodus 14:24²⁴And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, (Exodus 14:24). It came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians.

Before the captivity, the Hebrews divided the night into three watches. The first was from sunset to ten o’clock; the second from ten o’clock to two; the third from two o’clock to sunrise. The first was called the “beginning of the watches” (Lam. 2:19¹⁹Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street. (Lamentations 2:19)). The second was called the “middle watch” (Judg. 7:19¹⁹So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. (Judges 7:19)). The third was called the “morning watch,” as in the text, and also in 1 Samuel 11:11¹¹And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. (1 Samuel 11:11).

This mode of dividing time is also referred to in Psalm 63:6; 119:148⁶When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. (Psalm 63:6)
¹⁴⁸Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. (Psalm 119:148). The Psalmist meditated on God and his word in the “night-watches.” a later method of dividing the watches, see note on Mark 13:35³⁵Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: (Mark 13:35) (#743).

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Manners and Customs of the Bible

• 120. "Third Men"

• 121. Night Watches

• 122. Egyptian Cavalry

• 123. Dancing

• 124. Flesh Pots Diet

• 125. Omer Ephah

• 126. Cleanliness in Worship

• 127. Thorn Fires - Grain Heaps

• 128. Beasts to Be Helped

• 129. Preparation for Festivals

• 130. The Passover

• 131. Feast of Harvest - Feast of Tabernacles;

• 132. Annual Pilgrimages

• 133. Forbidden Seething

• 134. The Cubit

• 135. Beaten Oil

• 136. The Span

• 137. Metallic Idols

• 138. Calf Worship

• 139. Mirrors

• 140. Talents

• 141. The Jewish Tabernacle

• 142. The Ark of the Covenant

• 143. The Table of Show Bread The Golden Candlestick

• 144. The Golden Altar of Incense

• 145. The Great Altar of Burnt Offering

• 146. The Brazen Laver

• 147. The Outer Court

• 148. Priestly Garments

• 149. Forbidden Offerings