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Watches, Night

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: W

By: George A. Morrish

Narrator: Chris Genthree

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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)).

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Concise Bible Dictionary: W

• Wanderings of the Israelites

• Washing of Regeneration

• Watches, Night

• Water of Separation

• Wave-Offering

• Wayfaring Man

• Weaver, Weaving

• Weeks, Feast of

• Weeks, Seventy

• Weights and Measures

• Will-Worship

• Willow (Ereb)