Reference: Watches of the Night
Fausets
The Jews reckoned three military watches: the "first" or beginning of the watches (La 2:19), from sunset to ten o'clock; the second or "middle watch" was from ten until two o'clock (Jg 7:19); the third, "the morning watch," from two to sunrise (Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11). Afterward under the Romans they had four watches (Mt 14:25): Lu 12:38, "even, midnight, cockcrowing, and morning" (Mr 13:35); ending respectively at 9 p.m., midnight, 3 a.m., and 6 a.m. (compare Ac 12:4.) Watchmen patrolled the streets (Song 3:3; 5:7; Ps 127:1).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And in the morning watch, the Lord, looking out on the armies of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, sent trouble on the army of the Egyptians;
So Gideon and the three hundred men who were with him came to the outer line of tents, at the start of the middle watch, when the watchmen had only then taken their stations; and the horns were sounded and the vessels broken.
If the Lord is not helping the builders, then the building of a house is to no purpose: if the Lord does not keep the town, the watchman keeps his watch for nothing.
The watchmen who go about the town came by me; to them I said, Have you seen him who is my heart's desire?
The keepers who go about the town overtook me; they gave me blows and wounds; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
Up! give cries in the night, at the starting of the night-watches; let your heart be flowing out like water before the face of the Lord, lifting up your hands to him for the life of your young children who are falling down, feeble for need of food, at the top of every street.
And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
So you are to keep watch: because you are not certain when the master of the house is coming, in the evening, or in the middle of the night, or at the cock's cry, or in the morning;
And if he comes in the second division of the night or in the third, and they are watching for him, happy are those servants.
And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.