Each of these towns was fortified with high walls, double gates, and crossbars. Outside the towns there were also a great number of villages.

Write them on your house’s doorframes and on your city’s gates.

Write them on your house’s doorframes and on your city’s gates.

Every third year you must bring the tenth part of your produce from that year and leave it at your city gates.

then you must bring out the man or woman who has done this evil thing to the gates of the city. Stone that person until he or she is dead.

the father and mother will take the son before the elders of that city at its gates.

you must bring both of them to the city gates there and stone them until they die—the young woman because she didn’t call for help in the city, and the man because of the fact that he humiliated his neighbor’s wife. Remove such evil from your community!

At that time Joshua made this decree: “Anyone who starts to rebuild this city of Jericho will be cursed before the Lord. Laying its foundations will cost them their oldest child. Setting up its gates will cost them their youngest child.”

When they chose new gods, then war came to the city gates. Yet there wasn’t a shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel!

To the sound of instruments at the watering places, there they repeat the Lord’s victories, his villagers’ victories in Israel. Then the Lord’s people marched down to the city gates.

The soldiers from Israel and Judah jumped up with a shout and chased the Philistines all the way to Gath and the gates of Ekron. The dead Philistines were littered along the Shaarim road all the way to Gath and Ekron.

So he changed the way he acted with them, pretending to be insane while he was with them. He scratched marks on the doors of the city gates and let spit run down his chin.

When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me now because he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars!”

Now David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman on duty went up on the roof of the gate by the wall. He looked out and saw a man running alone.

During Ahab’s time, Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He set up its foundations at the cost of his oldest son Abiram. He hung its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub. This fulfilled the Lord’s word spoken through Joshua, Nun’s son.

Then Josiah brought all the priests out of Judah’s cities. From Geba to Beer-sheba, he defiled the shrines where the priests had been burning incense. He also tore down the shrines at the gates at the entrance to the gate of Joshua the city’s governor, which were on the left as one entered the city gate.

David also provided a huge amount of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for the braces, so much bronze that it couldn’t be weighed,

Solomon also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon as fortress cities with walls, gates, and crossbars;

“Let’s build up these cities,” Asa told Judah. “We’ll surround them with walls, towers, gates, and crossbars while the land is still ours, because we sought the Lord our God and he sought us and surrounded us with rest.” As a result, the people successfully completed their building projects.

This is what you must do: A third of you priests and Levites coming on sabbath duty will guard the gates,

He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was unclean in any way could enter.

Hezekiah’s reform

Hezekiah reappointed the priests and the Levites, each to their divisions and their tasks, to make entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices, to serve, to give thanks, and to offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s camp.

The Asaphite singers also remained at their stations as ordered by David, Asaph, Heman, and the king’s seer Jeduthun, as did the guards at the various gates. They didn’t need to leave their tasks because their fellow Levites prepared food for them.

They told me, “Those in the province who survived the captivity are in great trouble and shame! The wall around Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire!”

and replied, “May the king live forever! Why shouldn’t I seem sad when the city, the place of my family’s graves, is in ruins and its gates destroyed by fire?”

May the king also issue a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to supply me with timber for the beams of the temple fortress gates, for the city wall, and for the house in which I will live.” The king gave me what I asked, for the gracious power of my God was with me.

I went out by night through the Valley Gate past the Dragon’s Spring to the Dung Gate so that I could inspect the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down, as well as its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.

So I said to them, “You see the trouble that we’re in: Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are destroyed by fire! Come, let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we won’t continue to be in disgrace.”

Rebuilding the gates and walls

Then Eliashib the high priest set to work with his fellow priests and built the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, then dedicated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel.

Nehemiah avoids his enemies

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no gaps left in it (although I hadn’t yet hung the doors in the gates),

I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem aren’t to be opened during the hottest time of the day. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Also, appoint guards from among those who live in Jerusalem. Station some at their watch posts and some in front of their own houses.”

The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their associates who guarded the gates totaled 172.

Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard by the storerooms of the gates.

After the priests and the Levites purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

So when it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the doors should be shut. I also ordered that they shouldn’t be reopened until after the Sabbath. To make sure that no load would come into the city on the Sabbath, I stationed some of my own men at the gates.

I also commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy.

Have death’s gates been revealed to you; can you see the gates of deep darkness?

Have mercy on me, Lord! Just look how I suffer because of those who hate me. But you are the one who brings me back from the very gates of death

so I can declare all your praises, so I can rejoice in your salvation in the gates of Daughter Zion.

Mighty gates: lift up your heads! Ancient doors: rise up high! So the glorious king can enter!

Mighty gates: lift up your heads! Ancient doors: rise up high! So the glorious king can enter!

The Lord loves Zion’s gates more than all of Jacob’s houses combined.

Enter his gates with thanks; enter his courtyards with praise! Thank him! Bless his name!

They had absolutely no appetite for food; they had arrived at death’s gates.

Open the gates of righteousness for me so I can come in and give thanks to the Lord!

Now our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem!

Because God secures the bars on your gates, God blesses the children you have there.

Above the noisy crowd, she calls out. At the entrances of the city gates, she has her say:

Evil people will bow down before the good; wicked people are at the gates of the righteous.

Her husband is known in the city gates when he sits with the elders of the land.

Let her share in the results of her work; let her deeds praise her in the city gates.

Her gates will lament and mourn; desolate, she will sit on the ground.

On a bare mountain raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave a hand; let them enter the officials’ gates.

Open the gates and let a righteous nation enter, a nation that keeps faith.

I thought, I must depart in the prime of my life; I have been relegated to the gates of the underworld for the rest of my life.

Cyrus as God’s anointed

The Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom I have grasped by the strong hand, to conquer nations before him, disarming kings, and opening doors before him, so no gates will be shut:

I will make your towers of rubies, and your gates of beryl, and all your walls of precious jewels.

Your gates will be open continually; day and night they won’t close, to bring to you the wealth of nations, and their kings led in procession.

Violence will no longer resound throughout your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders. You will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

Pass through, pass through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build, build the road; clear away the stones! Raise up a signal for the peoples.

Stand near the gate of the Lord’s temple and proclaim there this message: Listen to the Lord’s word, all you of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord.

Judah mourns; her gates wither away. The people fall to the ground in sorrow, as sobs of Jerusalem ascend.

I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the gates of their country. I will bereave and destroy my people because they haven’t changed their ways.

The Lord proclaimed to me: Go and stand by the People’s Gate where Judah’s kings go in and out, and then by all the gates of Jerusalem,

and say to them: Listen to the Lord’s word, you kings of Judah, all you people of Judah, and anyone living in Jerusalem who passes through these gates.

The Lord says: Be on guard not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or conduct business at the gates of Jerusalem.

If you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and don’t conduct business at the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, if you keep the Sabbath day holy by not working,

then through the gates of this city will come kings who occupy the throne of David and their officers, all riding on chariots and horses. They will be accompanied by the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. And this city will always be inhabited.

But if you don’t obey me by keeping the Sabbath day holy, if you carry your loads and conduct your business at the gates of Jerusalem as usual, then I will set fire to those gates that will completely engulf the fortresses of Jerusalem; it will not be put out.

Listen to the Lord’s word, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you and your attendants, and all those who go through these gates.

If you obey this command, then through the gates of this palace will come kings who occupy the throne of David, riding on chariots and horses along with their entourage and subjects.

They will give him a donkey’s burial, dragging him outside the gates of Jerusalem and dumping him there.

Get ready to attack a nation that feels safe and secure, declares the Lord, one without barred gates that lives by itself.

Babylon’s warriors quit fighting; they hide in their fortifications. Their strength is worn out; their courage is gone! Babylon’s houses are burned down, and its gates are smashed.

The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims: Babylon’s massive walls will come down, down to the ground; and its high gates will be burned to the ground. People labor in vain; nations toil for nothing but ashes!

Zion’s roads are in mourning; no one comes to the festivals. All her gates are deserted. Her priests are groaning, her young women grieving. She is bitter.

Zion’s gates sank into the ground; he broke and shattered her bars; her king and her officials are now among the nations. There is no Instruction! Even her prophets couldn’t find a vision from the Lord.

The earth’s rulers didn’t believe it—neither did any who inhabit the world— that either enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem’s gates.

to make hearts shudder, to make many stumble and fall. I’ve set the slaughtering sword against all their gates. Oh! It’s crafted to flash like lightning, polished for slaughter!

On his right side appeared the omen for Jerusalem: to put battering rams in place, to proclaim war and raise the alarm, to place battering rams against the gates, and to set up siege ramps and build towers.

The dust from all his horses will cover you when he enters your gates as one who enters a breached city. Your walls will quake at the thundering of the charioteers and chariot wheels.

and the pavement came up to the facades of the gates along their entire length. That was the lower pavement.

There were also gates to the inner courtyard opposite the north and east gates. When he measured from gate to gate, it was one hundred fifty feet.

They will keep charge in my sanctuary, and they will oversee the temple gates and keep charge of the temple. They will slaughter the entirely burned offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them.

When they come through the gates to the inner courtyard, they will wear linen garments. They won’t wear any wool when they minister at the gates of the inner courtyard or in the temple.

The gates of the city go by the names of the tribes of Israel. There are three gates on the north side: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi.

There are three gates on the east side along its 1.28 miles: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan.

There are three gates on the south side measuring 1.28 miles: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun.

There are three gates on the west side along its 1.28 miles: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali.

The sword will strike wildly in their cities; it will consume the bars of their gates and will take everything because of their schemes.

I will break the fortified gates of Damascus, and eliminate the people from the Aven Valley, including the one who rules from Beth-eden; the people of Aram will be forced to live in Kir, says the Lord.

You stood nearby, strangers carried off his wealth, and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem; you too were like one of them.

The gates of the rivers are opened; the palace melts.

Look, your people are women in your midst. The gates of your land have been flung wide open to your enemies. Fire consumes the bars of your gates.

These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to each other; make truthful, just, and peaceable decisions within your gates.

I tell you that you are Peter. And I’ll build my church on this rock. The gates of the underworld won’t be able to stand against it.

However, he found out about their scheme. They were keeping watch at the city gates around the clock so they could assassinate him.

The priest of Zeus, whose temple was located just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. Along with the crowds, he wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

The entire city was stirred up. The people came rushing, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the gates were closed.

It had a great high wall with twelve gates. By the gates were twelve angels, and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons.

There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

The angel who spoke to me had a gold measuring rod with which to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was made from a single pearl. And the city’s main street was pure gold, as transparent as glass.

Its gates will never be shut by day, and there will be no night there.

Favored are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.

Jerusalem will be built as a city, God’s house for all ages to come. I will be greatly favored when the few remaining from my offspring see your glory and acknowledge the king of heaven! The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald, and all your walls will be made of precious stone. The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold, and their fortifications will be made of pure gold.

And the gates of Jerusalem will burst into song with joyful hymns, and all her houses will shout out, “Hallelujah! May the God of Israel be praised, and may those who bless the holy name be blessed forever and always!”

He built towers at the gates one hundred fifty feet high, with foundations that were ninety feet wide.

He made its gates one hundred five feet high and sixty feet wide so that his mighty armies could march out in formation.

Their children were discouraged, and the women and young men fainted from thirst in the city streets, collapsing at the entrance to the gates. They had no strength left.

who placed it in her food bag.

Judith and her servant escape to Bethulia

The two of them went out to pray, as was their habit. They walked through the camp, circled around the valley, went up the hill to Bethulia, and arrived at the city gates.

throughout Artaxerxes’ entire kingdom, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).

Addition E

Artaxerxes’ second decree

Written below is a copy of the letter: The Great King Artaxerxes writes to the governors in the one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia, and to those who are loyal to us. Greetings! Many people who are greatly honored, owing to the immense generosity of their benefactors, become overly ambitious. Not only do they seek to harm our subjects, but they even attempt to scheme against their own benefactors since they are unable to manage their pride. Not only do they fail to exhibit gratitude among people, but encouraged by the boasts of people who know nothing of goodness, they even suppose they will escape the judgment of the God who sees all. Often, many people in positions of authority become accessories to the shedding of innocent blood because of the influence of friends they trusted to manage their affairs. They suffer terrible misfortunes as a result of the cruel lies of those who take advantage of the innocent goodwill of rulers. Now this can be seen, not so much from older accounts that we have inherited but from what is right before your eyes. Consider the ungodly things that have been done as a result of the corruption of those not worthy to hold power. But looking to the future, we will make the kingdom peaceful and secure for all people, adopting changes and settling those matters that come to our attention with a fair reply. As for Haman, Hammedatha’s son, a Macedonian, he was not Persian, and was far removed from us in kindness. Yet we warmly welcomed him. He gained the goodwill that we have for every nation to such an extent that he was publicly proclaimed our father. All worshipped him as the person second only to the royal throne. But when he could no longer hold his pride in check, he made it his business to rob us of our leadership and our life. With lies and tricks he called for the destruction of Mordecai, our savior and constant benefactor, and Esther, our innocent partner in the kingdom, together with their whole nation. He thought that, by these methods, he could render us helpless and turn the Persian Empire over to the Macedonians. But we find that the Jews, whom this accursed man wanted to destroy, are not criminals but are governed by just laws. They are children of the most high, most great, living God, who has guided the kingdom on the best course for us and for our ancestors. You would do well, therefore, not to act on the letters sent by Haman, Hammedatha’s son. Haman, who devised these things, has been impaled at the gates of Susa together with his entire household. The God who holds power over all things swiftly passed this fair judgment on him. And you should publish a copy of this letter in every place for all to see, to allow the Jews to live by their own customs, and to assist them so that they can defend themselves against their attackers in the time of distress, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar. God, who rules over all things, has made this a joyous day for his chosen line rather than one of destruction. As for you, celebrate it with feasting as a special holiday among your festivals so that it will be for us, and for all Persians of goodwill, a memorial of deliverance, both now and in the future. But for those who plot against us, it will be a memorial of destruction. Any city or region, without exception, that does not act accordingly will be completely destroyed by fire and spear. This city will be made uninhabitable not only to humans but also to wild animals and birds for all time.

You have power over life and death. You lead people down to the gates of hell, and you bring them back up again.

Therefore, they were struck blind, just like those people who had gathered at the door of one who had also done what was right. A veil of darkness was cast around them, and each one of them groped for the entrance to his own gates.

Nehemiah’s memory is lasting; he who raised our fallen walls, set up gates and bars, and rebuilt our buildings.

She said to her female servants, “Please bring me some olive oil and lotion and lock the gates so I can bathe.”

They did just what she said. They locked the gates to the garden and went through the side doors into the house to fetch the things she had wanted. They didn’t see the elders, since they were hiding.

They said, “Look, the gates are locked, and nobody can see us. We desire you, so do what we want and have sex with us.

One of them ran and opened the gates to the garden.

The elders said, “While we were walking around the large garden by ourselves, this woman came in with two female servants. She locked the gates of the garden and sent away the female servants.

We saw them having sex, but we couldn’t hold on to the man because he was stronger than we were. He opened the gates and ran away.

They found the sanctuary deserted, the altar treated with disrespect, and the gates burned. In the courts, bushes had sprung up like in an open field or on one of the mountains. They saw that the priests’ chambers were in ruins as well.

They decorated the front of the temple with gold crowns and small shields. They restored the gates and the priests’ chambers, furnishing them with doors.

But the townspeople shut them out and blocked up the gates with rocks.

Bacchides builds fortifications

Then Bacchides returned to Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judea: the fortress in Jericho, Emmaus, Beth-horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, all with high walls and gates and bars.

He camped in front of Joppa. But the people of the city closed its gates because Apollonius had a defense force there. So they fought against it.

And the people of the city became frightened and opened the gates. So Jonathan gained possession of Joppa.

Ptolemy set out for Syria, speaking peaceful words. The people of the towns opened their gates to him. They went to meet him because King Alexander had commanded them to do so, since Ptolemy was his father-in-law.

Simon also built Adida in the western foothills. He secured it and installed gates with bolts.

But when Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people there closed the gates and captured him, and killed with their swords all those who had entered with him.

But Simon built up the fortresses of Judea and put protection all around them with high towers, great walls, gates, and bolts. In addition, he stored food in the fortresses.

He commanded him to camp against Judea, to secure Kedron and its gates, and to wage war against the people. Then the king went to hunt down Trypho.

With mourning clothes wrapped beneath their breasts, women filled the streets. The virgins, who usually remained indoors, ran together to the gates and some to the walls, while others peeped through their windows.

While celebrating victory in their homeland, they burned alive those who had set on fire the sacred gates, including Callisthenes, who had fled into a small house, so that he received the just reward for his sin.

As this destruction occurred, others also went up after them against those inside, set the towers on fire, stoked the flames, and burned the offenders alive. When others tore down the gates, letting in the rest of the army, they took the city.

They cried out with a very loud voice, pleading with the Lord of all power to have mercy on them by intervening, since they now stood at the gates of death.

Then the most glorious, almighty, and true God showed forth his holy face and opened the heavenly gates. Two glorified angels of frightful appearance descended, visible to all except the Jews.

Your glory passed through the four gates of fire, earthquake, wind, and ice so that you would give the Law to Jacob’s descendants, the rules to be observed to Israel’s offspring.