The Hebrews, in conformity with the Mosaic law, reckoned the day
from evening to evening. The natural day, that is, the portion of time
from sunrise to sunset, was divided by the Hebrews, as it is now by the
Arabians, into six unequal parts. These divisions were as follows:--1.
The break of day. This portion of time was, at a recent period, divided
into two parts, in imitation of the Persians; the first of which began
when the eastern, the second, when the western, division of the horizon
was illuminated. The authors of the Jerusalem Talmud divided it into
four parts; the first of which was called in Hebrew איּלת השחר, which
occurs in Psalm xxii, 1, and corresponds to the phrase, λίαν ϖρωΐ, in
the New Testament, Mark xvi, 2; John xx, 1. 2. The morning or sunrise.
3. The heat of the day. This began about nine o’clock, Gen. xviii, 1; 1
Sam. xi, 11. 4. Midday. 5. The cool of the day; literally, the wind of
the day. This expression is grounded on the fact, that a wind commences
blowing regularly a few hours before sunset, and continues till evening,
Gen. iii, 8. 6. The evening. This was divided into two parts, ערבים; the
first of which began, according to the Caraites and Samaritans, at
sunset, the second, when it began to grow dark. But, according to the
rabbins, the first commenced just before sunset, the second, precisely
at sunset. The Arabians agree with the Caraites and Samaritans; and in
this way the Hebrews appear to have computed, previous to the captivity.
The mention of שעה, _hours_, occurs first in Daniel iii, 6, 15; v, 5.
They were first measured by _gnomons_, which merely indicated the
meridian; afterward, by the _hour-watch_, σκιαθέρικον; and subsequently
still, by the _clepsydra_, or instrument for measuring time by means of
water. The hour-watch or dial, otherwise called the sun-dial, is
mentioned in the reign of King Hezekiah, 2 Kings xx, 9, 10; Isaiah
xxxviii, 8. Its being called “the sundial of Ahaz” renders it probable
that Ahaz first introduced it from Babylon; whence, also, Anaximenes,
the Milesian, brought the first _skiathericon_ into Greece. This
instrument was of no use during the night, nor indeed during a cloudy
day. In consequence of this defect, the _clepsydra_ was invented, which
was used in Persia as late as the seventeenth century in its simplest
form. The _clepsydra_ was a small circular vessel, constructed of
thinly-beaten copper or brass, and having a small perforation through
the bottom. It was placed in another vessel, filled with water. The
diameter of the hole in the bottom of the _clepsydra_ was such, that it
filled with water in three hours, and sunk. It was necessary that there
should be a servant to tend it, who should take it up when it had sunk,
pour out the water, and place it again empty on the surface of the water
in the vase.
The hours of principal note in the course of the day were the third, the
sixth, and the ninth. These hours, it would seem, were consecrated by
Daniel to prayer, Dan. vi, 10; Acts ii, 15; iii, 1; x, 9. The day was
divided into twelve hours, which, of course, varied in length, being
shorter in the winter and longer in the summer, John xi, 9. In the
winter, therefore, the _clepsydras_ were so constructed that the water
might sink them more rapidly. The hours were numbered from the rising of
the sun, so that, at the season of the equinox, the third corresponded
to the ninth of our reckoning; the sixth, to our twelfth; and the ninth,
to three o’clock in the afternoon. At other seasons of the year, it is
necessary to observe the time when the sun rises, and reduce the hours
to our time accordingly. We observe, therefore, that the sun in
Palestine, at the summer solstice, rises at five of our time, and sets
about seven. At the winter solstice, it rises about seven, and sets
about five.
Before the captivity, the night was divided into three watches. The
first, which continued till midnight, was denominated the commencing or
first watch, Lam. ii, 19. The second was denominated the middle watch,
and continued from midnight till the crowing of the cock. The third,
called the morning watch, extended from the second to the rising of the
sun. These divisions and names appear to have owed their origin to the
watches of the Levites in the tabernacle and temple, Exod. xiv, 24; 1
Sam. xi, 11. In the time of Christ, however, the night, in imitation of
the Romans, was divided into four watches. According to the English mode
of reckoning they were as follows: 1. The evening, from twilight to nine
o’clock. 2. The midnight, from nine to twelve. 3. The cock crowing, from
twelve to three. 4. From three o’clock till daybreak. A day is used in
the prophetic Scripture for a year: “I have appointed thee each day for
a year,” Ezek. iv, 6. See COCK.
from evening to evening. The natural day, that is, the portion of time
from sunrise to sunset, was divided by the Hebrews, as it is now by the
Arabians, into six unequal parts. These divisions were as follows:--1.
The break of day. This portion of time was, at a recent period, divided
into two parts, in imitation of the Persians; the first of which began
when the eastern, the second, when the western, division of the horizon
was illuminated. The authors of the Jerusalem Talmud divided it into
four parts; the first of which was called in Hebrew איּלת השחר, which
occurs in Psalm xxii, 1, and corresponds to the phrase, λίαν ϖρωΐ, in
the New Testament, Mark xvi, 2; John xx, 1. 2. The morning or sunrise.
3. The heat of the day. This began about nine o’clock, Gen. xviii, 1; 1
Sam. xi, 11. 4. Midday. 5. The cool of the day; literally, the wind of
the day. This expression is grounded on the fact, that a wind commences
blowing regularly a few hours before sunset, and continues till evening,
Gen. iii, 8. 6. The evening. This was divided into two parts, ערבים; the
first of which began, according to the Caraites and Samaritans, at
sunset, the second, when it began to grow dark. But, according to the
rabbins, the first commenced just before sunset, the second, precisely
at sunset. The Arabians agree with the Caraites and Samaritans; and in
this way the Hebrews appear to have computed, previous to the captivity.
The mention of שעה, _hours_, occurs first in Daniel iii, 6, 15; v, 5.
They were first measured by _gnomons_, which merely indicated the
meridian; afterward, by the _hour-watch_, σκιαθέρικον; and subsequently
still, by the _clepsydra_, or instrument for measuring time by means of
water. The hour-watch or dial, otherwise called the sun-dial, is
mentioned in the reign of King Hezekiah, 2 Kings xx, 9, 10; Isaiah
xxxviii, 8. Its being called “the sundial of Ahaz” renders it probable
that Ahaz first introduced it from Babylon; whence, also, Anaximenes,
the Milesian, brought the first _skiathericon_ into Greece. This
instrument was of no use during the night, nor indeed during a cloudy
day. In consequence of this defect, the _clepsydra_ was invented, which
was used in Persia as late as the seventeenth century in its simplest
form. The _clepsydra_ was a small circular vessel, constructed of
thinly-beaten copper or brass, and having a small perforation through
the bottom. It was placed in another vessel, filled with water. The
diameter of the hole in the bottom of the _clepsydra_ was such, that it
filled with water in three hours, and sunk. It was necessary that there
should be a servant to tend it, who should take it up when it had sunk,
pour out the water, and place it again empty on the surface of the water
in the vase.
The hours of principal note in the course of the day were the third, the
sixth, and the ninth. These hours, it would seem, were consecrated by
Daniel to prayer, Dan. vi, 10; Acts ii, 15; iii, 1; x, 9. The day was
divided into twelve hours, which, of course, varied in length, being
shorter in the winter and longer in the summer, John xi, 9. In the
winter, therefore, the _clepsydras_ were so constructed that the water
might sink them more rapidly. The hours were numbered from the rising of
the sun, so that, at the season of the equinox, the third corresponded
to the ninth of our reckoning; the sixth, to our twelfth; and the ninth,
to three o’clock in the afternoon. At other seasons of the year, it is
necessary to observe the time when the sun rises, and reduce the hours
to our time accordingly. We observe, therefore, that the sun in
Palestine, at the summer solstice, rises at five of our time, and sets
about seven. At the winter solstice, it rises about seven, and sets
about five.
Before the captivity, the night was divided into three watches. The
first, which continued till midnight, was denominated the commencing or
first watch, Lam. ii, 19. The second was denominated the middle watch,
and continued from midnight till the crowing of the cock. The third,
called the morning watch, extended from the second to the rising of the
sun. These divisions and names appear to have owed their origin to the
watches of the Levites in the tabernacle and temple, Exod. xiv, 24; 1
Sam. xi, 11. In the time of Christ, however, the night, in imitation of
the Romans, was divided into four watches. According to the English mode
of reckoning they were as follows: 1. The evening, from twilight to nine
o’clock. 2. The midnight, from nine to twelve. 3. The cock crowing, from
twelve to three. 4. From three o’clock till daybreak. A day is used in
the prophetic Scripture for a year: “I have appointed thee each day for
a year,” Ezek. iv, 6. See COCK.