And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen, [dexiolabous (G1187)] - a special word, the sense of which seems well expressed here,
Two hundred - in all, four hundred and seventy men, consisting of heavy-armed and light-armed troops, with a body of cavalry; a formidable guard for such an occasion; but Roman officials felt their honour concerned in the preservation of the public peace, and the danger of an attempted rescue would seem to require it: the depot at Jerusalem was large enough to spare this convoy.
At the third hour of the night (nine o'clock).