The Jews, like the Babylonians and Greeks, divided the night into three watches, “the beginning of the watches,” i.e., 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 Mark 6: 48; Mark 13: 35; Matt. 14: 25.