These in the East were anciently very rude contrivances. They were made of wood with long wooden bolts into which were driven a few pins which dropped into holes and held the bolt secure. The key, also of wood with corresponding pins, would raise the pins of the bolt, and allow it to be shot back. Jg 3:23-24; Ne 3:3-15; Cant. 5:5.
And Ehud will come forth to the portico, and he will shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and fasten. And he went forth, and his servants came in, and saw, and behold, the doors of the upper chamber were fastened; and they will say, Surely he is covering his feet in the chamber of cooling.
And the gate of fishes the sons of Hassenaah built; they framed and they will set up its doors, its bolts and its bars. And at their hand held fast Meremoth, son of Urijah, son of Koz. And upon their hand Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabeel. And upon their hand held fast Zadok son of Baana. read more. And upon their hand held fast the Tekoites; and their nobles brought not their neck into the work of their Lord. And the old gate held fast Jehoida son of Paseah, and Meshullam son of Besodeiah; they framed and set up its doors, its bolts and its bars. And upon their band held fast Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and Mizpeh to the throne of the prefect beyond the river. Upon his hand held fast Uzziel son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths. And upon his hand held fast Hananiah son of the perfumers; and they will leave Jerusalem even to the broad wall. And upon their hand held fast Raphia, son of Hur, chief of half the circuit of Jerusalem. And upon their hand held fast Jedaiah son of Harumaph, and before his house, and upon his hand, held fast Hattush son of Hashabniah. The second measure held fast Malchiah, son of Harim, and Hashub, son of Pahath-Moab, and the tower of the furnaces. And upon his hand held fast Shallum son of Halohesh, chief of half the circuit of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. And the gate of the valley held fast Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and they will set up its doors its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits in the wall even to the gate of the dung-hill. And the gate of the dung-hill held fast Malchiah the son of Rechab, chief of the circuit of the house of the vineyard; he will build it, and set up its doors, its bolts and its bars. And the gate of the fountain Shallum son of Colhozeh, ruler of the circuit of Mizpeh, held fast; he will build it and cover it, and set, it up, its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the walls of the pool of Shiloh by the king's garden, and even to the steps going down from the city of David.