Topical Bible: Gates of Cities: Criminals Punished At

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In ancient Israelite society, the gates of cities held significant importance not only as entry and exit points but also as central locations for legal and civic activities. The gates served as places where justice was administered, and where criminals were often punished. This practice is rooted in the cultural and legal traditions of the Israelites, as outlined in the Old Testament.

Judicial Function of City Gates

The city gates were the hub of communal life and governance. Elders and judges would sit at the gates to hear cases and render judgments. This is evident in several biblical passages. For instance, in Deuteronomy 21:18-21, the rebellious son is brought to the elders at the city gate for judgment: "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined, his father and mother are to take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city" . This passage highlights the role of the city gate as a place where legal matters were addressed and where the community witnessed the administration of justice.

Punishment and Execution

The gates were not only places for legal proceedings but also for the execution of sentences. The public nature of the gates made them suitable for carrying out punishments, serving as a deterrent to others. In Deuteronomy 22:24, the punishment for certain crimes is explicitly stated to occur at the city gate: "you must take both of them to the gate of that city and stone them to death—the girl because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you" . This public execution at the gates underscored the seriousness of the offense and the community's role in upholding the law.

Symbolism and Significance

The gates of the city symbolized the authority and governance of the community. They were places where the law was upheld, and where the community gathered to witness justice being served. The presence of elders and judges at the gates signified the communal responsibility in maintaining order and righteousness. The punishment of criminals at the gates served as a public affirmation of the community's commitment to God's laws and the eradication of evil from their midst.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the broader cultural and historical context of the ancient Near East, city gates were commonly used for legal and commercial transactions. The Israelites, in following this tradition, imbued the gates with religious and moral significance, aligning their legal practices with the covenantal laws given by God. The gates thus became a focal point for the expression of divine justice and communal integrity.

In summary, the gates of cities in biblical times were not merely physical structures but were central to the administration of justice and the execution of punishment. They served as a public arena where the community could witness and participate in the upholding of God's laws, ensuring that justice was visible and accessible to all.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 17:5
Then shall you bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, to your gates, even that man or that woman, and shall stone them with stones, till they die.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 20:2
Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Fast-Day Service
... We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs,. ... to our soldiers to execute upon the
criminals the sentence ... not in secret, but in the very streets of their cities. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/fast-day service.htm

The Sixth Book
... control, and in these they are criminals; they yield ... seas, they have devastated and
overthrown cities shut off ... when the enemy were actually entering the gates. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the sixth book.htm

Caesar Fell Down.
... should never be overcome by the gates of hell ... The incensed emperor punished the
criminals, and charged ... Rome and Constantinople, because their cities were both ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter ii caesar fell down.htm

Matt. Iii. 13
... With the servants the Lord, with the criminals the Judge ... the new polity, both opening
to us the gates on high ... and all the rest, chiefly in those cities in which ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xii matt iii 13.htm

The First Apology of Justin, the Martyr
... they rule become lovers of wisdom cities cannot prosper ... have been arrested and convicted
as criminals." Many at ... This was spoken: "Lift up the gates of heaven ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the first apology of justin.htm

The Letter of the Church of Rome
... enter by it." [115] ?^4While there are many gates open, the ... [131] Many have quit
their own cities to put ... to spectacles in the arena where criminals were forced ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the letter of the church.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... would have time to close his gates, and take ... Uru, and, indeed, to all those cities
to which ... by creditors of their liberty, and criminals judicially condemned. ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... stout resistance, but some of them betrayed one of the gates; the women ... in that town?'
The cruelties practiced in the king's presence were signally punished. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm