“elders...gate.” In the biblical culture of the Old Testament, it was the custom that the elders and judges of a city would sit at the city gate (Gen. 19:1, 9; Deut. 21:19; 22:15; 25:7; Josh. 20:4; Ruth 4:11; 1 Sam. 4:18; Esther 2:19, 21; 3:2; Lam. 5:14; Dan. 2:49).

[For more on the elders at the gate, see commentary on Prov. 1:21.]