Bible Dictionary: Watches

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Easton's Bible Dictionary

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 (2 Samuel 18:24-27; 2 Kings 9:17-20; Isaiah 21:5-9). They were sometimes placed for this purpose on watch-towers (2 Kings 17:9; 18:8). Ministers or teachers are also spoken of under this title (Jeremiah 6:17; Ezek. 33:2-9; Hebrews 13:17).

The watches of the night were originally three in number, (1) "the beginning of the watches" (Lamentations 2:19); (2) "the middle watch" (Judges 7:19); and (3) "the morning watch" (Exodus 14:24; 1 Samuel 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 (Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48; Luke 12:38). (see DAY.)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n. pl.) The leaves of Saracenia flava. See Trumpets.

Greek

3787. ophthalmodoulia -- eye service
... Transliteration: ophthalmodoulia Phonetic Spelling: (of-thal-mod-oo-li'-ah) Short
Definition: service rendered only while the master watches Definition: eye ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3787.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

6424. palas -- to weigh, make level
... Origin denominative verb from peles Definition to weigh, make level NASB Word Usage
level (1), leveled (1), make (1), ponder (1), watch (1), watches (1), weigh ...
/hebrew/6424.htm - 6k

8104. shamar -- to keep, watch, preserve
... 1), spare (1), spies (1), take care (1), take heed (5), take note (1), take...heed
(1), waiting (1), waits (1), watch (11), watched (1), watches (3), watching ...
/hebrew/8104.htm - 7k

5341. natsar -- to watch, guard, keep
... 10), observed (1), observes (1), preserve (10), preserves (1), reserve (1), secret
places (1), tends (1), watch (4), watcher (1), watches (1), watchman (1 ...
/hebrew/5341.htm - 6k

821. ashmoreth -- a watch
... Short Definition: watch. Word Origin from shamar Definition a watch NASB
Word Usage watch (4), watches (3). watch. Or bashmuwrah {ash ...
/hebrew/821.htm - 6k

Library

The Wily Judas Watches Near
... The wily Judas watches near. tr., John Brownlie 8,6,8,6,8,8. semeron gregorei ho
Ioudas. ... III. ho autos. I. The wily Judas watches near. The Master's path to-day, ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the greek church/the wily judas watches near.htm

LM Breviary. Night-Watches.
... SUPPLEMENT. 559. LM Breviary. Night-Watches. 1 Throughout the hours of
darkness dim, Still let us watch and raise the hymn; And ...
/.../559 l m breviary night-watches.htm

God who Always Watches Over his People
... PSALMS GOD WHO ALWAYS WATCHES OVER HIS PEOPLE. I will lift up my eyes to
the hills; from whence comes my help? My help comes from ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/god who always watches over.htm

That all Things Exist that they May Perish, and that we are not ...
... Book IV. Chapter X."That All Things Exist that They May Perish, and that
We are Not Safe Unless God Watches Over Us. 15. "Turn ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter x that all things exist.htm

On God and his Perfections
... A. God sees us and watches over us. "Watches" to protect, to reward or punish us.
He watches continually; He not only watches, but keeps us alive. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 2 on god and.htm

November 16. "Watch Therefore, for Ye Know Neither the Day" (Matt. ...
... Life, like the old Jewish night, may be divided into three watches, youth,
maturity, old age. The summons to meet God may come to ...
/.../simpson/days of heaven upon earth /november 16 watch therefore for.htm

Epistle Xlix. To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch .
... He also watches wisely over the sheep-fold of which he has taken charge, lest either
perverse men tear the sheep of God by speaking froward things, or ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlix to anastasius bishop.htm

Psalm LXXVII.
... "All mine enemies have anticipated watches" (ver.4). All mine enemies have kept ... Where
do they not lay traps? Have not mine enemies anticipated all watches? ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxvii.htm

Letter ix. Meditation.
... "I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches." "Mine
eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might meditate in thy word." But, lest ...
/.../a practical directory for young christian females/letter ix meditation.htm

He Careth for You
... We are the work of his hands, and as such he is interested in our prosperity. He
watches over the development of our lives; he notes every step of progress. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk fifty-two he careth for.htm

Thesaurus

Watches (23 Occurrences)
... The watches of the night were originally three in number, (1) "the beginning of
the watches" (Lamentations 2:19); (2) "the middle watch" (Judges 7:19); and (3 ...
/w/watches.htm - 14k

Night-watches (4 Occurrences)
Night-watches. Night-watch, Night-watches. Nile . Multi-Version
Concordance Night-watches (4 Occurrences). Luke 2:8 ...
/n/night-watches.htm - 7k

Watch (203 Occurrences)
... guarding by night. 2. (n.) One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman,
or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard. 3. (n.) The ...
/w/watch.htm - 40k

Night (3322 Occurrences)
... The threefold division of the day into watches continued into post-exilic Roman
times; but the Roman method of four divisions was also known (Mark 13:35 ...
/n/night.htm - 15k

Meditate (37 Occurrences)
... YLT). Psalms 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee
in the night watches. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/m/meditate.htm - 16k

Watchers (16 Occurrences)

/w/watchers.htm - 11k

Day (17670 Occurrences)
... at our nine o'clock, and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Genesis 3:8).
Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from ...
/d/day.htm - 70k

Quaternion
... Acts 12:4). To four such companies Peter had been handed over, who would take their
turn of acting as guard over the prisoner, each of the four watches of the ...
/q/quaternion.htm - 8k

Night-watch
Night-watch. Nightwatch, Night-watch. Night-watches . Int. ... See WATCH; TIME.
Nightwatch, Night-watch. Night-watches . Reference Bible.
/n/night-watch.htm - 6k

Unni (3 Occurrences)
... NIV). Nehemiah 12:9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against
them in the watches. (KJV JPS DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV). ...
/u/unni.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance

Watches (23 Occurrences)

Revelation 16:15 "Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn't walk naked, and they see his shame."
(WEB BBE)

1 Chronicles 9:23 And they and their sons 'are' over the gates of the house of Jehovah, even of the house of the tent, by watches.
(YLT)

Nehemiah 7:3 I said to them, Don't let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Nehemiah 12:9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
(KJV BBE DBY WBS)

Nehemiah 13:30 So I made them clean from all strange people, and had regular watches fixed for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
(BBE)

Job 24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying,'No eye shall see me.' He disguises his face.
(See NIV)

Job 33:11 He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch all my paths.'
(See NAS RSV)

Psalms 33:14 From his house he keeps watch on all who are living on the earth;
(See NIV)

Psalms 37:32 The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.
(WEB RSV)

Psalms 63:6 when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 77:4 Thou hast taken hold of the watches of mine eyes, I have been moved, and I speak not.
(YLT)

Psalms 119:148 My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 121:3 May he not let your foot be moved: no need of sleep has he who keeps you.
(See NIV)

Psalms 121:4 See, the eyes of Israel's keeper will not be shut in sleep.
(See NIV)

Psalms 127:1 A Song of Ascents. By Solomon. Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
(WEB RSV NIV)

Psalms 146:9 The Lord takes care of those who are in a strange land; he gives help to the widow and to the child who has no father; but he sends destruction on the way of sinners.
(See RSV NIV)

Proverbs 5:21 For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he puts all his goings in the scales.
(See NAS RSV)

Proverbs 16:17 A highway of the upright 'is', 'Turn from evil,' Whoso is preserving his soul is watching his way.
(See NAS)

Ecclesiastes 5:8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.
(See NAS)

Ecclesiastes 11:4 He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.
(See NAS NIV)

Lamentations 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord: Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger at the head of every street.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Lamentations 4:16 The anger of Yahweh has scattered them; he will no more regard them: They didn't respect the persons of the priests, they didn't favor the elders.
(See NIV)

Hosea 9:8 A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler's snare is on all of his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.
(WEB)

Subtopics

Watches

Watches of Night

Related Terms

Night-watches (4 Occurrences)

Watch (203 Occurrences)

Night (3322 Occurrences)

Meditate (37 Occurrences)

Watchers (16 Occurrences)

Day (17670 Occurrences)

Quaternion