(1) The usual gateway was provided with double doors, swung on projections that fitted into sockets in the sill and lintel. Ordinarily the material was wood (
Ne 2:3,
17), but greater strength and protection against fire was given by plating with metal (
Ps 107:16;
Isa 45:2). Josephus (BJ, V, v, 3) speaks of the solid metal doors of the Beautiful Gate (
Ac 3:2) as a very exceptional thing. Some doors were solid slabs of stone, from which the imagery of single jewels (
Isa 54:12;
Re 21:21) was derived. When closed, the doors were secured with a bar (usually of wood,
Na 3:13, but sometimes of metal,
1Ki 4:13;
Ps 107:16;
Isa 45:2), which fitted into clamps on the doors and sockets in the post, uniting the whole firmly (Jud 16:3). Sometimes, perhaps, a portcullis was used, but
Ps 24:7 refers to the enlargement or enrichment of the gates. As the gate was especially subject to attack (
Eze 21:15,
22), and as to "possess the gate" was to possess the city (
Ge 22:17;
24:60), it was protected by a tower (
2Sa 18:24,
33;
2Ch 14:7;
26:9), often, doubtless, overhanging and with flanking projections. Sometimes an inner gate was added (
2Sa 18:24). Unfortunately, Palestine gives us little monumental detail.