quaternion Summary and Overview

a band of four soldiers. Peter was committed by Herod to the custody of four quaternions, i.e., one quaternion for each watch of the night (Acts 12:4). Thus every precaution was taken against his escape from prison. Two of each quaternion were in turn stationed at the door (12:6), and to two the apostle was chained according to Roman custom.

a military term signifying a guard of four soldiers, two of whom were attached to the person of a prisoner, while the other two kept watch outside the door of his cell. #Ac 12:4|

QUATER'NION . When Peter is said to have been delivered to four quaternions of soldiers, and to have passed through a first and second watch, Acts 12:4, 1 Kgs 16:10. it is to be understood that he was guarded by four men at a time - viz., two in the prison with him, and two before the doors - and that they were relieved every three hours, or at each successive Bound between two Soldiers. (From an old Roman Drawing.) watch of the night, by four others, making in all sixteen men. QUEEN is the rendering of three different Hebrew words, of which the first is applied to a queen-regnant- as, for instance, the queen of Sheba, 1 Kgs 10:1, and Athaliah, who usurped the throne of Judah, 2 Kgs 11; the second to a queen-consort - that is, to the wives of first rank in the royal harem, as distinguished from the concubines, Esth 1:9; Zech 7:1; Song 6:8; and the third to a queen-mother - as, for instance, Bathsheba, 1 Kgs 2:19; Maachah, 1 Kgs 15:13; 2 Chr 15:16; Jezebel. 2 Kgs 10:13. It was a natural result of the practice of polygamy that the queen-consort never attained that dignity which in our times such a position confers, while the queen-mother came to occupy one of the most dignified and powerful positions in the state. The following is a list of queen-mothers through the successive reigns of the monarchs of the kingdom of Judah: Kings. Queen-mothers. Solomon Bathsheba Rehoboam Naamah Abijah/Asa Maachah or Michaiah. Jehoshaphat Azubah. Jehoram Not mentioned. Ahaziah Athaliah. Joash Zibiah. Amaziah Jehoaddan. Uzziah Jecoliah. Jotham Jerusha. Ahaz Not mentioned. Hezekiah Abi or Abijah. Manasseh Hephzibah. Amon Meshullemeth. Josiah Jedidah. Jehoahaz Harautal. Jehoiakim Zebudah. Jehoiachin Nehushta. Zedeklah Hamutal.

"A guard of four soldiers", two attached to the prisoner, two outside his cell door. Four quaternions took by turns the guard over Peter for the four night watches (Acts 12:4).