WATCH. Four Heb. and four Gr. words are so tr. in the Eng. VSS. In the OT period when communications were poor, direct visual observation, “keeping watch,” was a basic necessity to town survival. The most common term in the OT is Heb. צָפָה֒, H7595, “to spy out,” “keep watch” (Gen 31:49, et al.). Slightly less common in this same sense is Heb. שָׁקַד֒, H9193, “be circumspect,” “be watchful” (Isa 29:20, et al.). In a number of passages the KJV reads “watch” for Heb. שָׁמַר, H9068, which usually means “wait upon,” “attend,” as in Genesis 2:15. This Heb. term is used for “watch” in Judges 7:19, et al. and is tr. so by the VSS. Once in the text, in Ezekiel 7:6, the KJV reads “it watcheth for thee” for Heb. קִיץ, H7810, a root about which there is some uncertainty (cf. H. Orlinsky, JQR 28, 65 cited in KB 834.) The RSV trs. “it has awakened against you.” In the NT, the same notions of “watchfulness” are apparent esp. in regard to Christian commitment and the parousia. The most common term is Gr. γρηγόρεω, the origin of the Greco-Lat. name, Gregory. It appears in numerous passages, (e.g. Matt 24:42ff.). Less common is Gr. τήρεω, and the compound form, παρατήρεω, more in the sense of “guard,” “watch over” as in Acts 9:24, et al. Greek ἀγρύπνεω, “keep oneself awake” is used as in Mark 13:33 et al. The common term Gr. νήφω, G3768, “be sober,” “be well balanced” is tr. as “watch” in the KJV in two passages, 2 Timothy 4:5 and 1 Peter 4:7. However in both, “keep self control” is to be preferred.