Night — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Word in Scripture denoting that time of darkness from dusk until dawn when no light of the sun is visible. For example, Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt by night (Mt 2:14). The shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks at night (Lk 2:8). Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night (Jn 3:2). An angel from the Lord came and opened the prison doors at night in order to let the disciples out (Acts 5:19).

Show passage in OET: MAT 2:14

OET-RV MAT 2:14

14 So Yosef got ready during the night and took the child and his mother and departed for Mitsrayim.

OET-LV MAT 2:14

14 And which having _been _raised, he _took the little _child and the mother of _him by _night and withdrew into Aiguptos,

Show passage in OET: LUK 2:8

OET-RV LUK 2:8

8 In that same area, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields where they kept watch over their flocks at night.

OET-LV LUK 2:8

8 And shepherds were in the the same region, lodging _in _the _fields and keeping watch the by _night over the flock of _them.

Show passage in OET: JHN 3:2

OET-RV JHN 3:2

2 went to Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) and said, “Teacher, we know that God has sent you as a teacher, because no one could do those kinds of miracles if God wasn’t with him.”

OET-LV JHN 3:2

2 this one came to him by _night, and said to _him:
My _great_one, we _have _known that you _have _come from god as_a_teacher, because/for no _one is _able to _be _doing these the signs, what you are _doing, if the god not may _be with him.

Show passage in OET: ACT 5:19

OET-RV ACT 5:19

19 But one of Yahweh’s messengers opened the prison doors during the night and led them out again, saying,

OET-LV ACT 5:19

19 But a_messenger of_the_master opened _up the doors of _the prison through, the_night, and having _led_ them _out said,

Jump to OET MAT 2:14 section.

Jump to OET LUK 2:8 section.

Jump to OET JHN 3:2 section.

Jump to OET ACT 5:19 section.

According to Genesis 1, the day-night cycle was instituted by God and “night” was the name given to the period of darkness (Gn 1:5). Later, God put the lights in the expanse of the heavens, appointing the sun to rule or dominate the day, and the moon, the lesser light, to dominate the night (vv 16-18). The covenant of the Lord is the basis of the regularity of the rotation of day and night.

Show passage in OET: GEN 1:5

OET-RV GEN 1:5

5 God named the light daytime, and the darkness he named nighttime. Then evening came, and later morning came, and that was the end of the first day.

OET-LV GEN 1:5

5 And_ god _he/it _called to _the_light day and_to _the_darkness he _called night and_he/it _was evening and_he/it _was morning day one.

Show passage in OET: GEN 1:16–18

OET-RV GEN 1:16

16 so God made the two large lights, the larger, brighter light to rule the day, and the smaller light to rule the night, and he also made the stars.

OET-RV GEN 1:17

17 He put those lights in the sky to shine light on the earth,

OET-RV GEN 1:18

18 and to oversee the daytime and the nighttime, and to distinguish between the light and the darkness. And God saw that what he had done was good.

OET-LV GEN 1:16

16 And_ god _he/it _made DOM the _two _of the_lights the_big(pl) DOM the_luminary the_big/great(sg) for_dominion the_day and_DOM the_luminary the_small(sg) for_dominion the_night and_DOM the_stars.

OET-LV GEN 1:17

17 And_ god _he/it _gave DOM_them in _the_firmament the_heavens to_give _light on the_earth/land.

OET-LV GEN 1:18

18 And_to_rule in _the_day and_in _the_night and_to_separate between the_light and_between the_darkness and_ god _he/it _saw if/because _that it_was_good.

Jump to OET GEN 1:5 section.

Jump to OET GEN 1:16–18 section.

The night in OT times was apparently divided into three periods or “watches.” The latter name originated with the changing of the guard at these times. Gideon’s 300 men blew their trumpets and broke their pitchers at the beginning of the middle watch (Jgs 7:19). Although no references in the OT give the limits of these three periods, night was considered to begin at sunset, and consequently the periods may have been 6:00 to 10:00 pm, 10:00 pm to 2:00 am, and 2:00 to 6:00 am.

Show passage in OET: JDG 7:19

OET-RV JDG 7:19

19 When Gid’on and the hundred men with him got to the edge of the camp, it was the beginning of the middle nightwatch and the fresh guards had just gotten into their places. Gid’on and his unit blew their trumpets and smashed the jars that they were carrying.

OET-LV JDG 7:19

19 And_ Gidˊōn and_one _hundred man who with_him/it _he _went in_the _edge _of the _camp the _beginning _of the _watch (the)_middle just just _(station) they _had _stationed DOM the_watchmen and_they _gave _a _blast on_trumpets and_they _smashed the_jars which were_in_hand _of_their.

Jump to OET JDG 7:19 section.

Later, according to the Roman calculation of time, night was divided into four watches. Some historians think they began at 9:30 pm, at midnight, at 2:30 am, and at 5:00 am. Others think that the nighttime period between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am was divided equally into four periods, the first beginning at 6:00 pm, the second at 9:00 pm, the third at midnight, and the fourth at 3:00 am. Mark 13:35 contains the popular designations for these four watches, namely late in the day (early evening), midnight, the cock-crowing, and early in the morning.

Show passage in OET: MRK 13:35

OET-RV MRK 13:35

35 So you all watch and stay alert, because you don’t know when the master of the house might return—perhaps one evening or at midnight, or at dawn or maybe mid-morning.

OET-LV MRK 13:35

35 Therefore be _watching, because/for you _all _have_ not _known when the master of _the house is _coming, either evening, or midnight, or of_the_cockcrow, or in _the _morning,

Jump to OET MRK 13:35 section.

Apparently, Matthew 14:25 and Mark 6:48 follow the Roman calculation when they locate Jesus’ walking on the water at about the fourth watch of the night.

Show passage in OET: MAT 14:25

OET-RV MAT 14:25

25 In the early hours of the morning, Yeshua went out to them on the lake, walking on the surface.

OET-LV MAT 14:25

25 And in_the_fourth watch of _the night, he _came to them walking on the sea.

Show passage in OET: MRK 6:48

OET-RV MRK 6:48

48 He saw them struggling to row against the wind, and some time after 3am he came out to them, walking on the lake surface as if to walk past them.

OET-LV MRK 6:48

48 And having _seen them being _tormented in the time to _be _rowing, because/for the wind was contrary to _them, about the_fourth watch of _the night he _is _coming to them, walking on the sea, and was _wanting to _pass _by them.

Jump to OET MAT 14:25 section.

Jump to OET MRK 6:48 section.

A specialized use of the word “night” along with the word “day” emphasizes the continuance of activity. For example, the man with an unclean spirit is said to have been in the mountains and in the tombs “night and day” (Mk 5:5). Paul refers to his having labored, working night and day, so as not to be a burden to the church (1 Thes 2:9). Later in the same book he refers to his continuous praying night and day (3:10).

Show passage in OET: MRK 5:5

OET-RV MRK 5:5

5 All through the day and night, whether in the tombs or up in the hills, he was yelling out and hurting himself with stones.

OET-LV MRK 5:5

5 And through all time night and day in the tombs and in the mountains, he _was crying _out and bruising himself with _stones.

Show passage in OET: TH1 2:9

OET-RV TH1 2:9

9 Brothers and sisters, you’re remembering our work and the hardship that we endured, working day and night so that we wouldn’t burden any of you as we proclaimed good message from God.

OET-LV TH1 2:9

9 For/Because you _all _are _remembering, brothers, the labour of _us and the hardship, night and day working, in _order that not to _burden anyone of _you _all, we _proclaimed to you _all the good _message of_ the _god.

Show passage in OET: TH1 3:10

OET-RV TH1 3:10

10 Day and night we’re strongly requesting God that we’ll be able to go and see you all again, and to teach anything that’s lacking in your faith,

OET-LV TH1 3:10

10 Night and day, beyond _exceedingly beseeching in _order that to _see of _you _all the face, and to _prepare the lacking things in _the faith of _you _all?

Jump to OET MRK 5:5 section.

Jump to OET TH1 2:9 section.

Jump to OET TH1 3:10 section.

Along with this literal usage of the word “night,” there is also a figurative or metaphorical usage. In some references it refers to divine judgment (Am 5:8-9; Mi 3:6). Jesus uses “night” to refer to death (Jn 9:4). Once the night (death) comes, time for working is over.

Show passage in OET: AMO 5:8–9

OET-RV AMO 5:8

8 God made the Pleiades and Orion constellations.
⇔ He turns darkness into the morning
⇔ and he makes the day dark with night
⇔ He calls for the waters of the sea
⇔ and pours them out on the surface of the earth.
⇔ Yahweh is his name.

OET-RV AMO 5:9

9 He causes devastation to land on the strong,
⇔ ≈ and destruction comes down on the fortresses.

OET-LV AMO 5:8

8 The_one _who_made _of (of)_Pleiades and_Orion and_the _one _who_turns into_morning deep _darkness and_day night he _makes _dark the_one_who_summons (to)_the_waters _of the_sea and_he_poured _them _out on the _surface _of the_earth/land is_YHWH his/its_name.

OET-LV AMO 5:9

9 The_one_who_causes _to _flash devastation on the_strong and_devastation on a _fortress it _will _come.

Show passage in OET: MIC 3:6

OET-RV MIC 3:6

6 Therefore, it’ll be night for you prophets, without any visions.
⇔ ≈ It will be dark for you all, without any prophesying.
⇔ The sun will go down on the ‘prophets’,
⇔ ≈ and the day will be black for them.

OET-LV MIC 3:6

6 For_so/thus/hence night to/for_you(pl) from_vision and_it _will _grow _dark to/for_you(pl) from_divining and_ the_sun _it _will _go on the_prophets and_it _will _be _dark on_them the_day.

Show passage in OET: JHN 9:4

OET-RV JHN 9:4

4 as long as it’s daytime, we need to do what the one who sent us wants, but when nighttime comes, no one will be able to work.

OET-LV JHN 9:4

4 It _is _fitting us to _be _working the works of _the one having _sent me, until it _is day, night is _coming, when no _one is _able to _be _working.

Jump to OET AMO 5:8–9 section.

Jump to OET MIC 3:6 section.

Jump to OET JHN 9:4 section.

Paul compares this present age (soon to be over with) to the night that is almost gone (Rom 13:12). Again, Paul speaks of himself and his readers as children of the light and of the day, not the night and darkness (1 Thes 5:5). In this context he links night with separation from God, sin, intemperance, careless living, as well as spiritual blindness and ignorance, especially regarding the Lord’s return.