hour, hours

Definition:

In addition to being used to refer to when or how long something took place, the term "hour" is also used in several figurative ways:

Sometimes "hour" refers to a regular, scheduled time to do something, such as the "hour of prayer."
When the text says that the "hour had come" for Jesus to suffer and be put to death, this means that it was the appointed time for this to happen--the time that God had selected long ago.
The term "hour" is also used to mean "at that moment" or "right then."
When the text talks about the "hour" being late, this means that it was late in the day, when the sun would soon be setting.

When used figuratively, the term "hour" can be translated as "time" or "moment" or "appointed time."
The phrase "in that very hour" or "the same hour" could be translated as "at that moment" or "at that time" or "immediately" or "right then."
The expression "the hour was late" could be translated as "it was late in the day" or "it would soon be getting dark" or "it was late afternoon."

(See also: hour)