Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HOUR

Designation of a particular time (Heb. ʿēṯ, môʿēḏ; Aram. šāʿâ), not a measure of time, with the possible exception of Dan. 4:19. The same meaning carries over into the NT (e.g., Matt. 18:1), but there an hour (Gk. hṓra) can also refer to the twelfth part of the time between sunrise and sunset (John 11:9; Matt. 20:1-12).

People in the OT described different times of the day in terms of nature — e.g., “about sundown” (2 Chr. 18:34; cf. Ps. 55:17[MT 18]) — while people in the NT could describe time in terms of numbered hours of the day (Matt. 20:3, 5, 6) and watches of the night (three in the Jewish system, four in the Roman; e.g., Mark 6:48; cf. Exod. 14:24; Judg. 7:19; Lam. 2:19). A “half hour” appears only in Rev. 8:1. “One hour” refers to an unspecified but relatively short time (Matt. 26:40), while longer periods can be described as lasting two (Acts 19:34) or three hours (5:7). Paul refers to temporary separation or grieving or accommodating as taking place “for an hour” (2 Cor. 7:8; Gal. 2:5; 1 Thess. 2:17; Phlm. 15; ; NRSV “a while”). An hour can also refer to a significant moment in salvation history, especially Jesus’ suffering (Mark 14:35; John 12:27; cf. 4:23).

Carl Bridges

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HOUR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)