The _Altar_ stood in the center of the whole; and in the buildings of [442] both Courts over against the middle of the _Altar_, eastward, southward, and northward, were gates [443] 25 cubits broad between the buildings, and 40 long; with porches of ten cubits more, looking towards the _Altar Court_, which made the whole length of the gates fifty cubits cross the pavements. Every gate had two doors, one at either [444] end, ten cubits wide, and twenty high, with posts and thresholds six cubits broad: within the gates was an area 28 cubits long between the thresholds, and 13 cubits wide: and on either side of this area were three posts, each six cubits square, and twenty high, with arches five cubits wide between them: all which posts and arches filled the 28 cubits in length between the thresholds; and their breadth being added to the thirteen cubits, made the whole breadth of the gates 25 cubits. These posts were hollow, and had rooms in them with narrow windows for the porters, and a step before them a cubit broad: and the walls of the porches being six cubits thick, were also hollow for several uses. [445] At the east gate of the _Peoples Court_, called the _King's gate_, [446] were six porters, at the south gate were four, and at the north gate were four: the people [447] went in and out at the south and north gates: the [448] east gate was opened only for the King, and in this gate he ate the Sacrifices. There were also four gates or doors in the western wall of the _Mountain of the House_: of these [449] the most northern, called _Shallecheth_, or the _gate of the causey_, led to the King's palace, the valley between being filled up with a causey: the next gate, called _Parbar_, led to the suburbs _Millo_: the third and fourth gates, called _Asuppim_, led the one to _Millo_, the other to the city of _Jerusalem_, there being steps down into the valley and up again into the city. At the gate _Shallecheth_ were four porters; at the other three gates were six porters, two at each gate: the house of the porters who had the charge of the north gate of the _People's Court_, had also the charge of the gates _Shallecheth_ and _Parbar_: and the house of the porters who had the charge of the south gate of the _People s Court_, had also the charge of the other two gates called _Asuppim_.