Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gate

• (1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3; 2:3; 3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3).
• (2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8).
• (3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:34, 35; 2 Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1 Kings 6:31, 32; Ezek. 41:23, 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).
• (4.) Tombs (Matt. 27:60).
• (5.) Prisons (Acts 12:10; 16:27).
• (6.) Caverns (1 Kings 19:13).
• (7.) Camps (Ex. 32:26, 27; Heb. 13:12).

The materials of which gates were made were:

• (1.) Iron and brass (Ps. 107:16; Isa. 45:2; Acts 12:10).
• (2.) Stones and pearls (Isa. 54:12; Rev. 21:21).
• (3.) Wood (Judg. 16:3) probably.

At the gates of cities courts of justice were frequently held, and hence "judges of the gate" are spoken of (Deut. 16:18; 17:8; 21:19; 25:6, 7, etc.). At the gates prophets also frequently delivered their messages (Prov. 1:21; 8:3; Isa. 29:21; Jer. 17:19, 20; 26:10). Criminals were punished without the gates (1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:59). By the "gates of righteousness" we are probably to understand those of the temple (Ps. 118:19). "The gates of hell" (R.V., "gates of Hades") Matt. 16:18, are generally interpreted as meaning the power of Satan, but probably they may mean the power of death, denoting that the Church of Christ shall never die.