Topical Bible: Gates of Cities: Proclamations Made At

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In ancient biblical times, the gates of cities held significant importance as central locations for various civic, legal, and social activities. The gates were not merely entry and exit points but served as the hub of public life, where leaders and elders gathered to make important decisions, conduct business, and address the community. Proclamations made at the city gates were a common practice, serving as a means to communicate important messages to the populace.

Legal and Judicial Proceedings

The city gates were often the site of legal proceedings and the administration of justice. Elders and judges would sit at the gates to hear cases and render judgments. This practice is illustrated in the book of Deuteronomy, where it is instructed, "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" (Deuteronomy 21:18-19). The gates served as a public forum where justice was both administered and witnessed by the community.

Public Announcements and Proclamations

The gates were also the place for making public announcements and proclamations. These could include royal decrees, military orders, or other important messages that needed to be disseminated to the people. In 2 Kings 7:1, the prophet Elisha makes a significant proclamation at the gate, saying, "Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: 'About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, six quarts of fine flour will sell for a shekel, and twelve quarts of barley will sell for a shekel'" . This demonstrates the use of the gates as a platform for prophetic declarations and divine messages.

Commercial Transactions

The gates also functioned as marketplaces where commercial transactions took place. Merchants and traders would gather at the gates to buy and sell goods, making it a bustling center of economic activity. In the book of Ruth, Boaz goes to the city gate to settle the matter of redeeming Naomi's land and marrying Ruth, highlighting the gate's role in legal and commercial dealings (Ruth 4:1-11).

Covenantal and Ceremonial Functions

Covenantal and ceremonial functions were also conducted at the city gates. The gates served as a place for making covenants and oaths, as seen in the account of Boaz and Ruth. Additionally, the gates were sometimes used for religious purposes, such as the reading of the Law. In Nehemiah 8:1-3, Ezra the scribe reads the Law to the assembly at the Water Gate, emphasizing the gate's role in spiritual and communal life.

Symbolic and Prophetic Significance

The gates of cities also held symbolic and prophetic significance. They represented strength, security, and the authority of the city. Prophets often used the imagery of gates to convey messages of judgment or blessing. For example, in Isaiah 28:6, the prophet speaks of the LORD as "a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate" , illustrating the gate as a place of defense and divine intervention.

In summary, the gates of cities in biblical times were multifaceted centers of activity, serving as venues for legal, commercial, and ceremonial functions, as well as places for making public proclamations. They were integral to the social and spiritual life of the community, reflecting the governance, commerce, and religious practices of the time.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 1:21
She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 17:19
Thus said the LORD to me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Knox's Writings from Abroad: Beginning of the Scottish Revolution ...
... Thus, in Deuteronomy, cities which serve "other gods," or ... a paper to be affixed upon
the gates and posts ... 9, 1559, the Regent issued proclamations against eating ...
/.../lang/john knox and the reformation/chapter viii knoxs writings from.htm

A Solemn Embassy
... Certain cities have been taken by the sword and given ... jaws of hell, fearing that
the gates will soon ... your way and forget all our proclamations; therefore, are ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/a solemn embassy.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... Proclamations of woes on particular towns and countries follow. ... heaven, and shall
burn up many cities, and destroy ... earth, sea, and sky, and the gates of hell ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Moody's Stories
... ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities and dwell ... When you come to its gates, the
guardian angels will ... Every one of God's proclamations is connected with that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys stories/moodys stories.htm

The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
... in the sight of God, that the gracious proclamations of the ... Come hither; and the
devil, at the gates of hell ... of the Gentiles, and into any of the cities of the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the jerusalem sinner saved.htm