The city gate of an ancient city served multiple purposes. Obviously, one of those purposes was to provide a way in and out of a walled city. But the city gate also served as a place of government. The tribal leader, or king, and the city elders would gather at the city gate to handle official business. Boaz went to the city gate of Bethlehem, for instance, to handle a land transaction and to announce his marriage to Ruth. David pretended to be crazy at the city gate of Gath, hoping to escape the city where Goliath had lived. Job, Lot and the woman of Proverbs 31 were all honored at the city gate.