# hour, moment, immediately, for a while

## Definition:

The term “hour” is often used in the Bible to tell what time of day a certain event took place. It is also used figuratively to mean “time” or “moment.”

* The Jews counted daylight hours starting at sunrise (around 6 AM). For example, “the ninth hour” meant “around three in the afternoon.”
* Nighttime hours were counted starting at sunset (around 6 PM). For example, “the third hour of the night” meant “around nine in the evening” in our present-day system..
* Since references to time in the Bible will not correspond exactly to the present-day time system, phrases such as “around nine” or “about six o’clock” could be used.
* Some translations might add phrases like “in the evening” or “in the morning” or “in the afternoon” to make it clear what time of day is being talked about.
* The phrase, “in that hour” could be translated as “at that time” or “in that moment.”
* Referring to Jesus, the expression “his hour had come” could be translated as “the time had come for him to” or “the appointed time for him had come.”

## Bible References:

* [Acts 2:15](rc://en/tn/help/act/02/15)
* [John 4:51-52](rc://en/tn/help/jhn/04/51)
* [Luke 23:44](rc://en/tn/help/luk/23/44)
* [Matthew 20:3](rc://en/tn/help/mat/20/03)

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H8160, G56100
