Bible Dictionary
HOURS OF PRAYER
Hours of prayer were customary times when devout Jews prayed, commonly in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon or evening. These times were associated with the temple sacrifices and continued into the apostolic period.
Biblical Usage
Jews in Jerusalem went to the temple to pray, and Jews of the Diaspora prayed toward Jerusalem. The third hour was about 9 a.m., the sixth at noon, and the ninth about 3 p.m. These times appear in passages including Acts 2:15, 3:1, and 10:30.