Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, on Lam 2:19

“Coph. Arise, give praise in the night, in the beginning of the watches: pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands to him for the life of thy little children, that have fainted for hunger at the top of all the streets.”

“cry . . . in . . . night-- (Psa 119:147). beginning of . . . watches--that is, the first of the three equal divisions (four hours each) into which the ancient Jews divided the night; namely, from sunset to ten o'clock. The second was called "the middle watch" (Jdg 7:19), from ten till two o'clock. The third, "the morning watch," from two to sunrise (Exo 14:24; Sa1 11:11). Afterwards, under the Romans, they had four watches (Mat 14:25; Luk 12:38). for . . . thy . . . children--that God, if He will not spare thee, may at least preserve "thy young children." top of . . . street-- (Isa 51:20; Nah 3:10).”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.