Keeping watch, &c.— Literally, Watching the watches of the night; which intimates their taking it by turns to watch, according to the usual divisions of the night; and as it is not probable that they exposed their flocks to the coldness of winter-nights in that climate, where, as Dr. Shaw has shewn, they were very unwholesome,—(see his Travels, p. 379.) it may be strongly argued from this circumstance, that those who have fixed upon December for the birth of Christ, have been mistaken in the time of it. But see more on this head in the note on Luke 2:1
Related Commentaries of Luke 2:8
Luke 2:8
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watchd over their flock by night.