Night Watches

Concise Bible Dictionary:

There were with the Israelites three night watches:

1. From sunset (about 6 P.M.) to 10 P.M. (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)).

2. The middle watch, from 10 P.M. to 2 A.M. (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)).

3. From 2 A.M. till sunrise (1 Sam. 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)).

Under the Romans there were four night watches, agreeing with the changes of the Roman guards, each being of three hours’ duration, from sunset to sunrise. They were sometimes called evening, midnight, cock-crowing, and morning (Matt. 14:25²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25); Matt. 24:43⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. (Matthew 24:43); Mark 6:48⁴⁸And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. (Mark 6:48); 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); Luke 12:38³⁸And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. (Luke 12:38)).

“121. Night Watches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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).

“743. Night Watches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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). Watch 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.

The earliest division of the night into watches is noticed in the note on 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) (#121). After the Jews became subject to the Roman power they adopted the Roman method of dividing the watches. These watches were four: the first being from sunset to three hours later; the second from this time to midnight; the third from midnight to three hours before sunrise; and the fourth from this time to sunrise. These four watches are all alluded to in the text, the first being called “even,” the second “midnight,” the third “cockcrowing,” and the fourth “morning”; the names indicating the time when the watch terminated.

This mode of dividing the night is also referred to in Matt 14:25; 24:43; Mark 6:48⁴⁸And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. (Mark 6:48); Luke 12:38³⁸And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. (Luke 12:38).

“743. Night Watches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

“830. The Military Night Watch” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Acts 12:4⁴And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. (Acts 12:4). When he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him.

The usual number of a Roman military night-watch was four, and the watch was changed every three hours. Thus during the twelve hours of night there would be four of these watches or “quaternions.” Of these two were in the prison (see verse 6) and two were sentinels before the door. See verse 10 and the latter part of verse 6.

Night Watches

Concise Bible Dictionary:

“121. Night Watches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

“743. Night Watches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

“743. Night Watches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

“830. The Military Night Watch” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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