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Cockcrowing

People's Dictionary of the Bible

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Cockcrowing. This word occurs in the New Testament to designate the third watch in the night, about equidistant from midnight and dawn. Matthew 26:34; Mark 13:35. This watch was called by the Romans gallicinium. They divided the night into four watches of three hours each, that is, from six in the evening to nine; from nine to twelve; from twelve to three; and from three to six. The last two watches were both of them called "cock-crowings," because cocks usually crowed in that space of time. We have no evidence in support of the Rabbinical opinion that cocks were not permitted to be kept in Jerusalem on account of the holiness of the place.