Reference: Watches
Easton
the periods into which the time between sunset and sunrise was divided. They are so called because watchmen relieved each other at each of these periods. There are frequent references in Scripture to the duties of watchmen who were appointed to give notice of the approach of an enemy (2Sa 18:24-27; 2Ki 9:17-20; Isa 21:5-9). They were sometimes placed for this purpose on watch-towers (2Ki 17:9; 18:8). Ministers or teachers are also spoken of under this title (Jer 6:17; Eze 33:2-9; Heb 13:17).
The watches of the night were originally three in number, (1) "the beginning of the watches" (La 2:19); (2) "the middle watch" (Jg 7:19); and (3) "the morning watch" (Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11), which extended from two o'clock to sunrise. But in the New Testament we read of four watches, a division probably introduced by the Romans (Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48; Lu 12:38). (See Day.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And during the morning watch, Yahweh looked down to the Egyptian camp [from] in the column of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian camp into a panic.
So Gideon and the hundred men who [were] with him came to the edge of the camp [at] the beginning of the middle night-watch, when they had just finished setting up the guards, and they blew on the trumpets and smashed the jars that [were] in their hands.
Now David [was] sitting between the two gates, and the sentinel went up to the roof of the gate by the wall and he lifted up his eyes and watched, and look, a man [was] running by himself. The sentry called and told the king, and the king said, "If he [is] alone, good news is in his mouth." {He kept coming closer}. read more. Then the sentinel saw another man running, so the sentinel called to the gatekeeper and said, "Look, a man running alone." The king said, "This one also [is] bringing good news." The sentinel said, "I [am] seeing [that] the running of the first [is] like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zakok." The king said, "He [is] a good man; he will come, for good news."
The {Israelites} secretly did things which [were] not right, against Yahweh their God; they built high places for themselves in all their towns, from the watchtower up to the fortified city.
He attacked [the] Philistines up to Gaza and its territory from the watchtower up to the fortified city.
Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs! Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear [the] shield! For the Lord said this to me: "Go, set watchman in position. He must announce what he sees. read more. When he sees riders, a pair of horsemen, riders of donkeys, riders of camels, {then} he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying {special} attention." Then [the] {watchman} called, "Lord, I [am] standing on [the] watchtower continually by day, and I [am] standing at my post {throughout} the night. And look [at] this! A man's a chariot [is] coming, a pair of horsemen!" Then he responded and said, "It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are smashed on the ground!"
And I raised up watchmen over you: 'Listen attentively to [the] sound of a horn.' But they said, 'We will not listen attentively.'
"Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches; pour out your heart like water, before the face of the Lord. Lift to him your hands, for the life of your children, who faint in starvation, at the head of all streets."
"Son of man, speak to {your people}, and you must say to them, 'A land, if I bring over it a sword and the people of the land take a man, one from their number, and they appoint him for them as a watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land, and he blows on the horn and he warns the people, read more. and {anyone who listens} hears the sound of the horn and {he does not take warning} and [the] sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his [own] head. [For] he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But [if] he took warning, he saved his life. And [as for] the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and {he does not blow} the horn, and the people [are] not warned, and [the] sword comes and it takes {their lives}, he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.' "And you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; if you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me. {When I say} to the wicked, 'Wicked [one], you will certainly die,' and you {did not speak} to warn [the] wicked from his way, he, [the] wicked, will die by his guilt, but his blood I will seek from your hand. But, you, if you warn [the] wicked from his way, to turn from it, and {he does not turn} from his way, he will die by his guilt, and you will have saved your life.
And he saw them being beaten in their rowing because the wind was against them. Around the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he was wanting to pass by them.
Even if he should come back in the second or in the third watch of the night and find [them] like this, blessed are they!
Obey your leaders and submit [to them], for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not [with] groaning, for this [would be] unprofitable for you.