Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort! Bible Encyclopedias
Watch
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Search for…
or
woch ( אשׁמרה , 'ashmurāh , אשׁמרת , 'ashmōreth ; φυλακή , phulakḗ ): A division of the night. The night was originally divided into three watches ( Judges 7:19 ), but later into four, as we find in the New Testament (Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48 ). We do not know the limits of the watches in the first division, but the middle watch probably began two hours before midnight and ended two hours after. The fourfold division was according to the Roman system, each of which was a fourth part of the night. See TIME .
"Watch" is also the guard placed on watch ( משׁמר , mishmār , Nehemiah 4:9; κουστωδία , koustōdı́a , from Latin custodia , Matthew 27:65 , Matthew 27:66; Matthew 28:11 ). It sometimes refers to the act of watching, as in 2 Kings 11:6 , 2 Kings 11:7 ( משׁמרת , mishmereth ); Luke 2:8 ( phulakē ).
"Watch" is also used figuratively , as in Psalm 141:3 for restraint : "Set a watch, O Y ahweh, before my mouth" (שׁמרה , shomrāh ). See WARD .
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software.
Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Watch'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/w/watch.html. 1915.
