Prince (34:24)
Nāsî’ (Heb.): Ezekiel’s preferred title for the coming Davidic
Messiah. The reason he prefers “prince” over “king” (Heb. melek) is
probably due to his deep respect of the Law of Moses, which shaped his language
and world view. The term nāsî’ is an ancient and traditional term for a tribal leader that is used
frequently with a positive connotation throughout the Pentateuch (e.g., Ex
22:28; Lev 4:22; Num 1:16). The term melek, on the other hand, is used
only of foreign rulers in the Bible until Deut 17:14-15, where Moses grudgingly
allows Israel to have a human king “like all the other nations”—but this “king”
whom the Israelites choose will eventually be sent with them into exile (Deut
28:36)! So, the connotation of nāsî’ in the books of Moses is a traditional
leader in keeping with Israel’s unique customs and covenant with the Lord,
whereas a human melek has the connotations of covenant infidelity and
the imitation of Gentile pagan culture. For Moses, Israel’s true king can only
be the Lord (Deut 33:5); any human ruler should be content to be a “prince” who
worship the Lord as the divine “king.” (The Ignatius Catholic Study
Bible, ed. Scott Hahn and Curtis J. Mitch [San Francisco: Ignatius Press,
2024], 1426)
