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Cock-crowing

Easton's Bible Dictionary

In our Lord’s time the Jews had adopted the Greek and Roman division of the night into four watches, each consisting of three hours, the first beginning at six o’clock in the evening (Luke 12:38; Matt 14:25; Mark 6:48). But the ancient division, known as the first and second cock-crowing, was still retained. The cock usually crows several times soon after midnight (this is the first crowing), and again at the dawn of day (and this is the second crowing). Mark mentions (14:30) the two cock-crowings. Matthew (26:34) alludes to that only which was emphatically the cock-crowing, viz, the second.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Cock-Crowing

kok'-kro-ing (alektorophonia): An indefinite hour of the night between midnight and morning (Mark 13:35), referred to by all the evangelists in their account of Peter's denial (Matt 26:34; Matt 26:74; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34; John 13:38). It is derived from the habit of the cock to crow especially toward morning.

See Cock.

Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Translated into Danish with AI and not yet proofread (fully or partially). Links to people and places: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).