Bible Dictionary
Watches Of Night
The watches of night were periods assigned to sentries between sunset and sunrise. Jewish usage recognized three watches; under Roman influence the night was divided into four, including evening, midnight, cockcrowing, and morning.
Definition
The watches of night were military periods into which the hours between sunset and sunrise were divided. Each watch marked the time during which sentinels or pickets remained on duty.
Biblical Usage
The Old Testament names the beginning, middle, and morning watches. The New Testament uses the later fourfold reckoning, including evening, midnight, cockcrowing, and morning.
Historical Background
The three Jewish watches were reckoned approximately from sunset to 10 P.M., 10 P.M. to 2 A.M., and 2 A.M. to sunrise. Under Roman supremacy the night was divided into four watches ending approximately at 9 P.M., midnight, 3 A.M., and 6 A.M.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
The Jews, like the Greeks and Romans, divided the night into military watches instead of hours, each watch representing the period for which sentinels or pickets remained on duty. The proper Jewish reckoning recognized only three such watches, entitled the first or “beginning of the watches,” (Lamentations 2:19) the middle watch, (Judges 7:19) and the morning watch. (Exodus 14:24; 1 Samuel 11:11) These would last respectively from sunset to 10 P.M.; from 10 P.M. to 2 A.M.; and from 2 A.M. to sunrise. After the establishment of the Roman supremacy, the number of watches was increased to four, which were described either according to their numerical order, as in the case of the “fourth watch,” (Matthew 14:25) or by the terms “even,” “midnight,” “cock-crowing” and “morning.” (Mark 13:35) These terminated respectively at 9 P.M., midnight, 3 A.M. and 6 A.M.