Watch
WATCH
A division of the night. See HOURS.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Watch
in Heb. , denoting to cut into,” thence “to impress on the mind,” “to observe,” “to watch,” in the sense of keeping or guarding; or , the original meaning of which is “to look out,” thence “to watch;” as in English, “to keep a lookout,” in the sense of spying or noticing. Watching must have been coeval with danger, and danger arose as soon as man became the enemy of man, or had to guard against the attacks of wild animals. Among a primitive and nomadic people this is especially necessary. Accordingly, we find traces of the practice of watching in early portions of the Hebrew annals. Watching must have been carried to some degree of completeness in Egypt, for we learn from Exo 14:24 that the practice had, at the time of the Exode, caused the night to be divided into different watches or portions, mention being made of the “morning watch” (comp. 1Sa 11:11). In the days of the Judges (vii, 19) we find “the middle watch” mentioned (see Luk 12:38). At a later period Isaiah plainly intimates (Isa 21:5-6) that there was a watch-tower in Jerusalem, and that it was customary on extraordinary occasions to set a watchman. Watchman were, however, even at an earlier day, customarily employed in the metropolis, and their post was at the gates (2Sa 18:24 sq.; 2Ki 9:17 sq.; Psa 127:1; Psa 130:6; Pro 8:34), where they gave signals and information, either by their voice or with the aid of a trumpet (Jer 6:17; Eze 33:6). At night watchmen were accustomed to perambulate the city (Son 3:3; Son 5:7). In the New Test. we find mention made of the second, the third, and the fourth watch (Luk 12:38; Mat 14:25). On the watch at Christ’s sepulchre (Mat 27:66), see the monographs cited by Volbeding, Index Priograzmmatun, page 67. SEE WATCHMAN.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Watch
WATCH.1. The noun watch in the Gospels represents (1) (Lat. custodia) in Mat 27:65-66; Mat 28:11 Authorized Version (guard Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ). This word, which is said to have been the technical term for a company of 60 men, is used here to describe either the Roman soldiers, whom the chief priests and Pharisees obtained from Pilate, or the Temple guard, which he reminded them they already had and could employ to protect the sepulchre from being rifled. (2) , where it denotes the divisions of the night either into 3 (Jewish and Greek; cf. Luk 12:38 (?)* [Note: It is not unlikely that in this case the fourth watch is not named, simply because the return is not likely to be so long delayed. So Meyer, Alford, Bruce, etc.] ) or 4 (Roman; cf. Mar 13:35) parts. The word in this sense occurs (a) in the account of our Lords walking upon the Lake of Galilee, which was at the fourth watch, i.e. just before dawn (Mat 14:25, Mar 6:48); (b) in His remarks upon the uncertainty and unexpectedness of the Presence () of the Son of Man (Mat 24:43, Luk 12:38). (3) in an active sense, denoting a watching or keeping watch (Luk 2:8).
2. Watch as a verb.The duty of constant watchfulness () and vigilance () is insisted upon by our Lord in two main connexions: (a) in regard to the particular, immediate need for it on the night of the Betrayal (Mat 26:38; Mat 26:40-41, Mar 14:34; Mar 14:38) and (b) in regard to the general attitude of disciples who await their Lords Return (Mat 24:42-43, Mar 13:33-34; Mar 13:37, Luk 12:37; Luk 12:39; Luk 21:36).
As to the general attitude or frame of mind in which the Church is bidden by her Lord to look for His coming, the burden of His teaching is that ours must be the steadfast, active readiness of dutiful, trusty servants, who are not afraid of being caught idle or in mischief, when the Master appears and reveals His welcome, though awful presence.
C. L. Feltoe.
Fuente: A Dictionary Of Christ And The Gospels
Watch
WATCH.See Time.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Watch
woch (, ‘ashmurah, , ‘ashmoreth; , phulake): A division of the night. The night was originally divided into three watches (Jdg 7:19), but later into four, as we find in the New Testament (Mat 14:25; Mar 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 (, mishmar, Neh 4:9; , koustoda, from Latin custodia, Mat 27:65, Mat 27:66; Mat 28:11). It sometimes refers to the act of watching, as in 2Ki 11:6, 2Ki 11:7 (, mishmereth); Luk 2:8 (phulake).
Watch is also used figuratively, as in Psa 141:3 for restraint: Set a watch, O Yahweh, before my mouth (, shomrah). See WARD.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Watch
Watching must have been coeval with danger, and danger arose as soon as man became the enemy of man, or had to guard against the attacks of wild animals. Accordingly we find traces of the practice of watching in early portions of the Hebrew annals. Watching must have been carried to some degree of completeness in Egypt, for we learn from Exo 14:24, that the practice had, at the time of the Exodus, caused the night to be divided into different watches or portions, mention being made of the ‘morning watch.’ Compare 1Sa 11:11. In the days of the Judges (Jdg 7:19) we find ‘the middle watch’ mentioned. See Luk 12:38. At a later period Isaiah plainly intimates (Luk 21:5-6), that there was a watch-tower in Jerusalem, and that it was customary on extraordinary occasions to set a watchman. Watchmen were, however, even at an earlier day, customarily employed in the metropolis, and their post was at the gates (2Sa 18:24, sq.; 2Ki 9:17, sq.; Psa 127:1; Pro 8:34), where they gave signals and information, either by their voice or with the aid of a trumpet (Jer 6:17; Eze 33:6). At night watchmen were accustomed to perambulate the city (Son 3:3; Son 5:7). In the New Testament we find mention made of the second, the third, and the fourth watch (Luk 12:38; Mat 14:25). The space of the natural night, from the setting to the rising of the sun, the ancient Jews divided into three equal parts of four hours each. But the Romans, imitating the Greeks, divided the night into four watches, and the Jews, from the time they came under subjection to the Romans, following this Roman custom, also divided the night into four watches, each of which consisted of three hours (Mar 13:35). The terms by which the old Hebrew division of the night was characterized are,
1.the first watch, beginning of the watches (Lam 2:19);
2.’the middle-watch’ (Jdg 7:19);
3.’the morning-watch’ (Exo 14:24; 1Sa 11:11).
The first extended from sunset to our ten o’clock, the second from ten at night till two in the morning, and the third from that hour till sunrise.
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Watch
A division of time.
Night
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
WATCH
a guard
2Ki11:7; Neh 4:9; Mat 27:65; Mat 28:11
Fuente: Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
Watch
Gen 31:49 (b) In this way GOD describes His gracious supervision over His people individually and collectively.
Psa 102:7 (b) Here we see the sorrow of soul in the Lord JESUS when He looked for some to take pity in His lonely sojourn and in the time of His great sorrow, only to find that all had forsaken Him and fled.
Psa 130:6 (b) This is emblematic of an earnest heart’s desire for the return of the Lord. (See also Mat 24:42; Mat 25:13; Mar 13:35; Luk 21:36; Act 20:31).
Pro 8:34 (b) This probably represents the attitude of heart wherein the soul seeks the Lord and expects constantly to see His face, and to hear His voice in sweet fellowship.
Mar 13:33 (b) This is an attitude of heart wherein one is attentive to the possibilities of Satan’s hindrances and to the opportunities for serving CHRIST.
Heb 13:17 (b) This is typical of the careful attention which the eiders of the church should show for the welfare of those entrusted to their care in the church.