The Traditions That Ezekiel Used

Another instance of the centrality of the Exodus is found in the account of the new temple-city and worship in chapters 40 through 48. Ezekiel 45, 7-17, 21-25 and 46, 1-18 speak of the (Hebrew nasi) instead of the king. Why? Because, it seems, the prophet wants to return to the ideals of the Exodus period, before there was a king. In ancient tradition, the nasi was the leader of each tribe in the march in the desert (Nm 2 and 7). Another indication of the importanace of the Exodus is Ezekiel's demotion of the Levitical priests and promotion of the Zadokites (44, 6-16; 48, 11).

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