Watches

The Jews, like the Babylonians and Greeks, divided the night into three watches, “the beginning of the watches,” sunset till 10 p.m. (Lam. 2:19); the “middle watch,” 10 p.m. till 2 a.m. (Judg. 7:19); and the “morning watch,” 2 a.m. till sunrise (Ex. 14:24; 1 Sam. 11:11; Luke 12:38). The Romans had four watches, and it is their practice that is followed in Matt. 14:25; Mark 6:48; 13:35.