899. Having twelve gates, signifies all the knowledges of truth and good there, by which a man is introduced into the church. By "the gates" are signified the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, because by them a man is introduced into the church; for "the wall," in which the gates were, signifies the Word; as explained just above (n. 898); and it is said in what follows, that "the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each one of the gates was one pearl" (verse 21); and by "pearls" the knowledges of truth and good are signified (n. 727). That a man is introduced into the church by them, as through the gates into a city, is manifest. That "twelve" signifies all, may be seen above (n. 348). Knowledges of truth and good are also signified by "gates" in these passages:
I will lay thy foundations with sapphires, and I will make thy suns of ruby, and thy gates in stones of carbuncle (Isa. 54:11-12).
Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the habitations of Jacob, glorious things are to be declared in thee, O city of God (Ps. 87:2-3).
Enter through His gates with confession, confess unto Him, bless His name (Ps. 100:4).
Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem; Jerusalem is built as a city that coheres together (Ps. 122:2-3).
Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem, for He makes firm the bars of thy gates, He blesseth thy sons in the midst of thee (Ps. 147:12-13).
That I may enumerate all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion (Ps. 9:14).
Open ye the gates, that the just nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in (Isa. 26:2).
Lift up the voice, that they may come into the gates of the princes (Isa. 13:2).
Happy are they that do His commandments, and enter in through the gates into the city (Rev. 22:14).
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, that the King of glory may come in (Ps. 24:7, 9).
The ways of Zion do mourn, all her gates are devastated, her priests groan (Lam. 1:4).
Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish (Jer. 14:2).
Jehovah hath thought to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion, her gates have subsided into the earth (Lam. 2:8-9).
Who make a man to sin in a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate (Isa. 29:21).
He chose new gods, then he began to assault the gates (Judges 5:8).
Besides other places (as Isa. 3:25-26; 14:31; 22:7; 24:12; 28:6; 62:10; Jer. 1:15; 15:7; 31:38, 40; Micah 2:13; Nahum 3:13; Judges 5:11). Since "gates" signify introductory truths, which are knowledges from the Word, therefore the elders of a city sat in the gates, and judged; as is manifest from Deut. 21:18-21; 22:15; Lam. 5:14; Amos 5:12, 15; Zech. 8:16.