Reference: HOURS
American
The word hour, in Scripture, signifies one of the twelve equal parts into which each day, from sunrise to sunset, was divided, and which of course were of different lengths at different seasons of ht year, Mt 20:3-6; Joh 11:9. This mode of dividing the day prevailed among the Jews at least after the exile, and perhaps earlier, Da 3:6; 4:19. The third, sixth, and ninth hours were the appointed seasons for prayer, Ac 2:15; 3:1; 10:9. Anciently, however, the usual division of the day was into four parts, namely, the morning-the heat of the day, commencing about the middle of the forenoon-midday, and evening. In a similar manner, the Greeks appear at first to have divided the night also into three parts or watches, namely, the first watch, La 2:19; the middle, or second watch, Jg 7:19; and the morning, or third watch, Ex 14:24. But after the Jews became subject to the Romans, they adopted the Roman manner of dividing the night into four watches, namely, the evening, or first quarter, after sunset; the midnight; cock-crowing, or third quarter, from midnight on; and the morning, or fourth quarter, including the dawn, Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48; 13:35; Lu 12:48. A watch in the night seems but an instant to one who spends it in slumber, Ps 90:4; equally short does the life of man appear in view of eternity.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
At the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.
So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands.
For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night.
"Arise, cry aloud in the night At the beginning of the night watches; Pour out your heart like water Before the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to Him For the life of your little ones Who are faint because of hunger At the head of every street."
"But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire."
"Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him The king responded and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you ' Belteshazzar replied, 'My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!
And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.
"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And so they went. read more. "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'
Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.
"Therefore, be on the alert--for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning--
but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
"For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.
On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
Watsons
HOURS. See DAY.