The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each one of the gates was [of] one pearl (verse 21),

and by 'pearls' are signified cognitions of truth and good (n. 727). That by means of them a man is introduced into the Church, thus through the gates into the city, is plain. That 'twelve' signify all may be seen above (n. 348). By 'gates' are signified cognitions of truth and good also in these passages:-

I will lay thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy windows (soles) of the fiery stone (pyropus), and thy gates in carbuncle stones Isa. liv 11, 12.

Jehovah loving the gates of Zion more than all the habitations of Jacob, glorious things are to be declared in thee, O city of God Ps. lxxxvii 2 [, 3].

Enter through His gates with confession, confess unto Him, bless His Name Ps. c 4.

Our feet have been standing in thy gates, O Jerusalem; Jerusalem is built as a city that coheres together Ps. cxxii 2, 3.

Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem, for He makes firm the bars of thy gates, He blesses thy sons in the midst of thee Ps. cxlvii 12, 13.

That I may recount all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion Ps. ix 14 [H.B. 15].

Open the gates, that the just nation keeping faithfulness may enter in Isa. xxvi 2.

Lift up the voice that they may come to the gates of the princes Isa. xiii 2.

Blessed are those who do His commandments, and enter through the gates into the city Rev. xxii 14.

Lift up your heads, O gates, that the King of Glory may come in Ps. xxiv 7, 9.

The ways of Zion are mourning, all her gates have been devastated, her priests are groaning Lam. i 4.

Judah mourns and his gates have been made to languish Jer. xiv 2.

Jehovah has thought to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion, her gates have sunk into the ground Lam. ii 8, 9.

Who make a man to sin in the Word, and entrap him who reproves in the gate Isa. xxix 21.

He chose new gods, then he began to assault the gates Judg. v 8;

besides elsewhere, as Isa. iii 25, 26; xiv 31; xxii 7; xxiv 12; xxviii 6; lxii 10; Jer. i 15; xv 7; xxxi 38, 40; Micah ii 13; Nahum iii 13; Judg. v 11. Since 'gates' signify introductory truths, which are cognitions derived from the Word, therefore the elders of a city used to sit in the gates and judge, as is plain from Deut. xxi 18-21; xxii 15; Lam. v 14; Amos v 12, 15; Zech. viii 16.