GATES
Gates
See Gate
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Gates
Gate, Door, the entrance to enclosed grounds, buildings, dwelling-houses, towns, etc. Thus we find mentioned
1.Gates of cities, as of Jerusalem, its sheep-gate, fish-gate, etc. (Jer 37:13; Neh 1:3; Neh 2:3; Neh 7:3); of Sodom (Gen 19:1); of Gaza (Jdg 16:3).
2.Gates of royal palaces (Neh 2:8).
3.Gates of the Temple. The temple of Ezekiel had two gates, one towards the north, the other towards the east; the latter closed (Eze 44:1-2), the other must have been open.
4.Gates of tombs (Mat 27:60).
5.Gates of prisons. In Act 12:10, mention is made of the iron-gate of Peter’s prison (Act 16:27). Prudentius speaks of gatekeepers of prisons.
6.Gates of caverns (1Ki 19:13).
7.Gates of camps (Exo 32:26-27; see Heb 13:12). The camps of the Romans had generally four gates. The camp of the Trojans is also described as having had gates.
We do not know of what materials the enclosures and gates of the temporary camps of the Hebrews were formed. In Egyptian monuments such enclosures are indicated by lines of upright shields, with gates apparently of wicker, defended by a strong guard.
Gates of Towns
As the gates of towns served the ancients as places of security [FORTIFICATIONS], a durable material was required for them, and accordingly we find mentioned
1. Gates of iron and brass (Psa 107:16; Isa 45:2; Act 12:10). It is probable that gates thus described were, in fact, only sheeted with plates of copper or iron; and it is probably in this sense we are to interpret the hundred brazen gates ascribed to the ancient Babylon. Thevenot describes the six gates of Jerusalem as covered with iron, which is probably still the case with the four gates now open. Other iron-covered gates are mentioned by travelers, such as some of the town gates of Algiers, and of the towers of the so-called iron-bridge at Antioch. The principal gates of the great mosque at Damascus are covered with brass. Gates of iron are also mentioned by Hesiod and by Ovid.
Egyptian Camp-gate
2. Gates of stone and of pearls are mentioned in Isa 54:12, and Rev 21:21, which, it has justly been supposed, refer to such doors, cut out of a single slab, as are occasionally discovered in ancient countries. At Essouan (Syene), in Upper Egypt, there is a granite gateway bearing the name of Alexander, the son of Alexander the Great (Wilkinson, iii. 403). The doors leading to the several chambers of the so-called ‘Tombs of the Kings’ near Jerusalem, were each formed of a single stone seven inches thick, sculptured so as to resemble four panels: the styles, muntins, and other parts were cut with great art, and exactly resembled those of a door made by a carpenter at the present day, the whole being completely smooth and polished, and most accurate in their proportions. The doors turned on pivots, of the same stone of which the rest of them were composed, which were inserted in corresponding sockets above and below, the lower tenon being of course short. This is one of the modes in which heavy doors of wood are now hung in the East. One of these doors was still hanging in Maundrell’s time, and ‘did not touch its lintel by at least three inches.’ But all these doors are now thrown down and broken. Similar doors are described by Dr. Clarke in the remarkable excavated sepulchers at Telmessus, on the southern coast of Asia Minor; and others were noticed by Irby and Mangles in the sepulchers near Beisan (Bethshan). There are stone doors to the houses in the Haouran beyond the Jordan; and the present writer has repeatedly seen in the north of Persia the street-doors of superior houses composed of a single slab of a kind of slate.
3. Gates of wood. Of this kind were probably the gates of Gaza (Jdg 16:3). They had generally two valves, which, according to Faber’s description, had sometimes smaller doors, or wickets, to afford a passage when the principal gate was closed, a fact which he applies to the illustration of Mat 7:13.
Gates were generally protected by some works against the surprises of enemies (Jer 39:4). Sometimes two gates were constructed, one behind another, an outer and inner one; or there were turrets on both sides (2Sa 18:24; 2Sa 18:33). The gates of the ancients were generally secured with strong heavy bolts and locks of brass or iron (Deu 3:5; 1Sa 23:7; 1Ki 4:13; 2Ch 8:5; Jer 14:2; Jer 49:31; Psa 147:13). This was probably done with a view to the safety of the town, and to prevent hostile inroads. The keys of gates, as well as of doors, were generally of wood; and Thevenot observes that gates might be opened even with the finger put into the key-hole, from which Harmer elucidates the passage in the Son 5:4.
Gate of Konieh
The gates of towns were kept open or shut according to circumstances: in time of war they were closed against the inroads of the enemy (Jos 2:5), but they were opened when the enemy had been conquered. On festive occasions they were also thrown wide open, to which Psa 24:7 alludes. This opening of the gates, as well as closing them, was done by means of keys. That near the gates towers were often constructed, serving for defense against attacks of the enemy, may be inferred from Deu 3:5; 2Sa 18:24; Jdg 9:35, comp. with 52. Enemies, therefore, in besieging towns were most anxious to obtain possession of the gates as quickly as possible (Deu 28:52; Jdg 9:40; 2Sa 10:8; 2Sa 11:23; 1Ki 8:37; Job 5:4; Isa 22:7; Isa 28:6); and generally the town was conquered when its gates were occupied by the invading troops (Deu 28:57; Jdg 5:8). In or near the gates, therefore, they placed watchmen, and a sufficiently strong guard, to keep an eye on the movements of the enemy, and to defend the works in case of need (Jdg 18:16; 2Ki 7:3; Neh 13:22).
Gate hinges
We read that some portions of the law were to be written on the gates of towns, as well as on the doors of houses (Deu 6:9; Deu 11:20); and if this is to be literally understood, it receives illustration from the practice of the Muslims in painting passages of the Koran on their public and private gates. Various artificial figures and inscriptions were engraved on their gates by the Romans.
Criminals were punished without the gates (1Ki 21:13; Act 7:59), which explains the passage in Heb 13:12. The same custom existed among the Romans. As to the gate through which Christ was led, before his crucifixion, opinions differ; some taking it to have been the dung-gate; others understand it of the gate of judgment. But for all that concerns the gates of Jerusalem, we must refer to the article Jerusalem.
Barred gate
Gates are often mentioned in Scripture as places at which were holden courts of justice, to administer the law and determine points in dispute: hence judges in the gate are spoken of (Gen 19:1; Gen 23:10; Gen 23:18; Gen 34:20; Deu 16:18; Deu 17:8; Deu 21:19; Deu 25:6-7; Jos 20:4; Rth 4:1; 1Sa 4:18; 2Sa 18:24; 2Sa 19:8; 1Ki 22:10; Job 29:7; Pro 22:22; Pro 24:7; Lam 5:14; Amo 5:12; Zec 8:16). The reason of this custom is apparent; for the gates being places of great concourse and resort, the courts held at them were of easy access to all the people; witnesses and auditors to all transactions were easily secured (a matter of much importance in the absence or scanty use of written documents); and confidence in the integrity of the magistrate was ensured by the publicity of the proceedings. There was within the gate a particular place, where the judges sat on chairs, and this custom must be understood as referred to when we read that courts were held under the gates, as may be proved from 1Ki 22:10; 2Ch 18:9. Apart from the holding of courts of justice, the gate served for reading the law, and for proclaiming ordinances, etc. (2Ch 32:6; Neh 8:1; Neh 8:3). We see from Pro 31:23; Lam 5:14, that the inferior magistrates held a court in the gates, as well as the superior judges (Jer 36:10); and even kings, at least occasionally, did the same (1Ki 22:10 comp. with Psa 127:5). The gates at Jerusalem served the same purpose; but for the great number of its inhabitants, many places of justice were required. Thus we find that Nehemiah (Neh 3:32) calls a particular gate of this city the counsel-gate, or justice-gate; which seems to have had a preference, though not exclusive, since courts must have been holden in the other gates also. The same custom prevails to the present day among other Oriental nations, as in the kingdom of Morocco, where courts of justice were holden in the gate of the capital town. Respecting the Abyssinians and inhabitants of Hindustan, we are likewise assured that they employed their gates for courts of justice. Homer states of the Trojans that their elders assembled in the gates of the town to determine causes, and Virgil says the same. From Juvenal it appears that with the Romans the Porta Capena was used for this purpose.
A gate sealed with clay
In Palestine gates were, moreover, the places where, sometimes at least, the priests delivered their sacred addresses and discourses to the people; and we find that the prophets often proclaimed their warnings and prophecies in the gates (Pro 1:21; Pro 8:3; Isa 29:21; Jer 17:19-20; Jer 26:10; Jer 36:10).
Among the heathen gates were connected with sacrifices, which were offered in their immediate vicinity; in which respect the hills near the gates are mentioned (2Ki 23:8). In Act 14:13, the gates of Lystra are referred to, near which sacrifice was offered.
Ancient key
The gate was, further, a public place of meeting and conversation, where the people assembled in large numbers to learn the news of the day, and by various talk to while away the too tedious hours (Psa 69:12). It was probably with this view that Lot sat under the gate of Sodom (Gen 19:1); which is more probable than the Jewish notion that he sat there as one of the judges of the city.
Under the gates they used to sell various merchandises, provisions, victuals, e.g. at Samaria (2Ki 7:1); and for this purpose there were generally recesses in the space under them. The same is stated by Aristophanes of the gates of the Greeks. But with respect to the markets at gates, the present writer would note what has often occurred to his own notice in different parts of the East, which is, that the commodities sold at the gates are almost exclusively country produce, animal or vegetable, for the supply of the city, and not manufactured goods, which are invariably sold in the bazaars in the heart of the town. The gate-markets also are only held for a few hours early in the morning.
Ancient door
On an uproar having broken out at Jerusalem, the heads of the people met under the New Gate (Jer 26:10), where they were sure to find insurgents. The town-gates were to the ancient Orientals what the coffee-houses, exchanges, markets, and courts of law, are in our large towns and such is still the case in a great degree, all though the introduction of coffee houses has in this, and other respects, caused some alteration of Eastern manners.
Gates are put figuratively for public places of towns and palaces. The gates of a town are also put instead of the town itself (Gen 22:17; Gen 24:60; Deu 12:12; Psa 87:2).
The gates of death, and of hell, occur in Job 38:17; Psa 9:13; Mic 2:13. Doors and gates of hell are chiefly introduced, Pro 5:5; Isa 38:10; Mat 16:19; and the Jews go so far in their writings as to ascribe real gates to hell. The origin of this metaphorical expression is not difficult to explain; for it was very common to use the word gates as an image of large empires (Psa 24:7); and in pagan authors the abode of departed souls is represented as the residence of Pluto. In the passage, then, Mat 16:19, by ‘gates of hell’ must be understood all aggressions, by the infernal empire upon the Christian church.
Door with cornice
Among the ancient Egyptians, doors were frequently stained so as to imitate foreign wood. They were either of one or two valves, turning on pins of metal, and were secured within by bars and bolts. Some of the bronze pins have been discovered in the tombs of Thebes, and two of them, after Wilkinson, are figured in fig. 200, #2 and #3. They were fastened to the wood with nails of the same metal. The stone lintels and floor behind the threshold of the tombs and temples still exhibit the holes in which the pins turned, as well as those of the bolts and bars, and the recess for receiving the opening valves. The folding-doors had bolts in the center, sometimes above as well as below; a bar was placed across from one wall to the other; and in many cases they were secured by wooden locks passing over the center (fig. 201) at the junction of the two folds. For greater security they are also occasionally sealed with a mass of clay. This was also a custom of the ancient Egyptians, as appears from Herodotus (ii. 121); from tombs actually so closed at Thebes; and from the sculptures, as in fig. 202, where the door is thus closed and sealed. To this custom there is an allusion in Job [CLAY]. At a later period, when iron came into general use, keys were made of that metal, of the shape shown in fig. 203. Of the kind thus indicated were probably the lock and key which fastened the summer-parlor of King Eglon (Jdg 3:23; Jdg 3:25). In this case Ehud locked the door and took away the key; but when the servants became alarmed, they easily opened it with another key; which suggests that the lock, as in ancient Egypt or the modern East, was nothing more than a peculiarly constructed open bolt of wood, which the wooden or metal key was adapted to raise and thrust back. The forms of the Egyptian doors may be seen from the figures. The figure, fig. 204, is from a curious ancient model in the British Museum, of a small ancient Egyptian house, and may serve to show very clearly how the doors of small houses were formed, hung, and secured. The elegant cornice of this door, fig. 205, will not escape observation. This is also a remarkable instance of a folding-door.
Door with words painted on it
A comparison of the ancient Egyptian doors with those now used in the East will probably suggest no incorrect notion of the provision among the ancient Hebrews in this respect. A sort of intermediate idea arising from this comparison will be found to furnish very satisfactory illustrations of most of the passages of Scripture which relate to the subject. The figure, fig. 206, is a very usual form of the street door of a private house. The inscription on the central compartment is usually painted in white or black. It means, ‘He (i.e. God) is the Creator, the Everlasting,’ and brings strongly to mind the Hebrew custom to which we have more than once alluded. Doors are generally unpainted throughout Western Asia and in Egypt. The other doors shown in the cuts belong to the internal front of the houses, and not to the external frontage or screen. The figure, fig. 205, has an open lattice over the door, and the elegant proportion of the whole entrance claims attention. The figure, fig. 207, shows different forms of common doors, and the whole piece affords an interesting illustration of the basement of an Eastern house, with the stone steps leading to the gallery, into which all the state rooms and family rooms open.
House with various doors
In the interior of houses it is not unusual to see curtains instead of doors, especially in summer. This helps to keep the apartment cool, and also enables servants to enter without noise. This custom originated in the use of tents. Accordingly we find that all the entrances of the tabernacle had curtains, although the framework was of wood (Exo 26:31-33; Exo 26:36-37); and even in the temple a curtain or ‘veil’ formed the separation between the Holy and the Most Holy place.
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Gates
Of cities
Deu 3:5; Jos 6:26; 1Sa 23:7; 2Sa 18:24; 2Ch 8:5
Made of:
– Iron
Act 12:10
– Wood
Neh 1:3
– Brass
Psa 107:16; Isa 45:2
Double doors
Isa 45:1; Eze 41:24
The open square of, a place for idlers
Gen 19:1; 1Sa 4:18; Psa 69:12; Pro 1:21; Jer 17:19-20
Religious services held at
Act 14:13
The law read at
Neh 8
Place for:
– The transaction of public business, announcement of legal transactions
Gen 23:10; Gen 23:16
– Conferences on public affairs
Gen 34:20
– Holding courts of justice
Deu 16:18; Deu 21:19; Deu 22:15; Jos 20:4; Rth 4:1; 2Sa 15:2; Pro 22:22; Zec 8:16
– Public concourse
Gen 23:10; Pro 1:21; Pro 8:3; Jer 14:2; Jer 22:2
Thrones of kings at
1Ki 22:10; 2Ch 18:9; Jer 38:7; Jer 39:3
Punishment of criminals outside of
Deu 17:5; Jer 20:2; Act 7:58; Heb 13:12
Closed at night
Jos 2:5; Jos 2:7
Closed on the Sabbath
Neh 13:19
Guards at
2Ki 7:17; Neh 13:19; Neh 13:22
Jails made in the towers of
Jer 20:2
Bodies of criminals exposed to view at
2Ki 10:8
Figurative:
– Of the people of a city
Isa 3:26
– Of the gospel
Isa 60:11
– Of the powers of hell
Mat 16:18
– Of death
Job 38:17; Psa 9:13; Isa 38:10
– Of the grave
Isa 38:10
– Of righteousness
Psa 118:19
– Of salvation
Gen 28:17; Psa 24:7; Psa 118:19-20; Isa 26:2; Mat 7:13
Symbolic
Rev 21:12-13; Rev 21:21; Rev 21:25
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
GATES
Gates are a security to a city. Therefore in Psa 147:13; “He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates,” signifies, that God has given Jerusalem security, and put it out of danger. So in Job 38:10, “the setting of bars and gates against the sea,” is the securing of the earth from its outrages.
Gates open, are a token of peace;f1 shut, of fear,f2 or of a state of war;f3 or a sign of affliction, misery, and desolation.f4
F1 Horat. Lib. iii. Od. 5, ver. 23, de Art. Poet. ver. 199; Virgil. n. Lib. 2. ver. 26, 27.
F2 Joh 20:19.
F3 Cs. de Bell. Gall. Lib. iii. c. 4; ” Portas clauserunt.”
F4 Jer. xiii. 19.
Fuente: A Symbolical Dictionary
GATES
(1) Of Cities and Towns as places of Business
Gen 23:10; Gen 34:20; Deu 16:18; Deu 21:19; Deu 22:15; Jos 20:4; Rth 4:1
2Sa 15:2; 1Ki 22:10; Pro 1:21; Pro 22:22; Jer 14:2; Zec 8:16
(2) Punishment of Criminals outside of
Deu 17:5; Jer 20:2; Heb 13:12
(3) Of Jerusalem
2Ki14:13; 2Ch 25:23; Neh 3:13; Neh 3:26; Neh 12:39
(4) Of the Temple
2Ki15:35; Jer 26:10; Eze 46:1; Act 3:2