Topical Bible: Palaces were Entered by Gates

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, palaces, like cities, were often fortified structures that were entered through gates. These gates were not merely functional but also held significant symbolic and administrative importance. They served as points of access, security, and control, and were often the sites of important civic and royal activities.

Biblical References:

1. 2 Kings 11:6 · "a third are to be at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to take turns guarding the temple." This passage highlights the strategic placement of guards at the gates, underscoring their importance in maintaining security and order within the palace complex.

2. Esther 2:19 · "When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate." The king's gate was a place of official business and judgment, where Mordecai, a key figure in the Book of Esther, was found. This indicates that the gates of the palace were not only entry points but also places where significant decisions and interactions took place.

3. Nehemiah 3:15 · "Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it, roofed it, set up its doors, bolts, and bars." Although this verse refers to the gates of Jerusalem, it reflects the broader cultural and architectural practices of the time, where gates were meticulously constructed and maintained, emphasizing their importance in both civic and royal settings.

Symbolic and Administrative Role:

Gates in ancient Near Eastern palaces were more than just physical structures; they were symbols of power and authority. They often served as the location for royal proclamations, legal proceedings, and public gatherings. The presence of officials and guards at these gates, as seen in the biblical accounts, highlights their role in governance and the administration of justice.

Cultural Context:

In the ancient world, the design and construction of gates were crucial for the defense and functionality of a palace. Gates were typically large and imposing, often adorned with intricate carvings and decorations that reflected the wealth and power of the ruler. The gates served as a first line of defense against invaders and were strategically designed to control the flow of people and goods into the palace.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the gates of palaces can be seen as metaphors for divine protection and the establishment of God's order. Just as the gates of a palace provided security and facilitated the administration of justice, so too does God provide protection and order for His people. The imagery of gates in the Bible often conveys themes of access to divine presence and the safeguarding of holiness.

In summary, the gates of palaces in biblical times were integral to the security, administration, and symbolism of royal power. They were places of significant activity and held deep cultural and theological meaning within the biblical narrative.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nehemiah 2:8
And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Light through Darkness
... Those who had entered into covenant relationship with God had long since scorned ...
to fall into the hand of the Chaldeans; its gates and palaces were to be ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 38 light through darkness.htm

For the King There were Three Great Perils: the People...
... washed daily by the salt tide; its palaces of white ... showing through a robe of
transparent silk as the two entered. ... He and this living Venus of Judea were alone ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 16 for the king.htm

A Detached Account of the Descent into Hell.
... demonstrated by the magnificence of their palaces, or the ... the tombs of the prophets,
who were buried at ... Their souls immediately re-entered their bodies, and he ...
/.../chapter lix a detached account.htm

The Conquest of Babylon.
... gave themselves up, in their spacious palaces and gardens ... the main walls where the
river entered into the ... These detachments were ordered to march into the city ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter viii the conquest of.htm

The Freedom of the City.
... enter there anything that defileth, peace is upon her palaces. ... Bible, and then we
gaze, as it were, upon the ... of our brother citizens who have entered by the ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lviii the freedom of.htm

The Tomb of the Pharaoh
... He entered the streets of the Libyan suburb of the holy city, and passed through
it to the ... In the plain at its base were the palaces of Amenophis III, of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxiii the tomb of.htm

Saint George Releases the Six Champions.
... Boldly he entered, and climbed on, on, on ... There were cities and palaces, and silvery
streams, and rich ... chamber had been, though her helpless cries were heard far ...
/.../the seven champions of christendom/chapter two saint george releases.htm

The Christian Sabbath --Peter's Confession of Faith.
... Another Sabbath He entered into a synagogue and taught. ... Here there were more Gentiles
than Jews, for it was a ... towns came to this city of palaces, temples, baths ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvi the christian sabbathpeters.htm

The Gospel Refuge.
... One forenoon during this past year, she had entered her cottage ... Even if he were but
one footstep without, the ... of its battlements, and the beauty of its palaces. ...
/.../macduff/the cities of refuge or the name of jesus/iii the gospel refuge.htm

The Fifth Day in Passion-Week - Make Ready the Passover!'
... When the first company had entered, the massive Nicanor ... its royal bridge, its splendid
palaces, its busy ... streets filled with festive pilgrims, were well known ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ix the fifth day.htm