There were with the Israelites three night watches:
1. From sunset (about 6 P.M.) to 10 P.M. (Lam. 2:19).
2. The middle watch, from 10 P.M. to 2 A.M. (Judg. 7:19).
3. From 2 A.M. till sunrise (1 Sam. 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. 14:25; Matt. 24:43; Mark 6:48; Mark 13:35; Luke 12:38).