impress upon the minds of his people the transcendent holiness of Jehovah
and the necessity that he be worshipped by a holy people. The entire plan
of the temple, of the ritual, and even of the allotment of the territory
of Canaan was intended to enforce this idea. His plan, if adopted, was
calculated to deliver the people from the temptations and mistakes of the
past. With this end in view Jehovah's sacred abode was guarded with
massive double walls and huge gateways. Only the priests were allowed to
enter the inner court, and a sharp distinction was made between the
priests who were the descendants of Zadok and the Levites whose fathers
had ministered at the many sanctuaries scattered throughout the land of
Israel. The territory immediately adjacent to the temple was assigned to
the priests and Levites, and its sanctity was further guarded on the east
and west by the domains of the prince. His chief function was, not to
rule, as had the selfish and inefficient tyrants who had preceded him, but
to provide the animals and the material requisite for the temple service.
The territory on the north and the south of the temple was assigned to the
different tribes of Israel.

No political or social problems clouded the prophet's vision. The entire
energies of priest, Levite, prince, and people were to be devoted to the
worship of the Holy One, whose restored and glorified sanctuary stood in
their midst. Thus it was that Ezekiel reversed the ideals of the
pre-exilic Hebrew state and presented that programme which with many
modifications was adopted in principle at least by the post-exilic Judean
community. In place of the monarchy appeared the hierarchy; instead of the
king the high priest became both the religious and the civil head of the
nation. Soon the Davidic royal line disappeared entirely, and the
interests of the people centred more and more about the temple and its
ritual. Although Ezekiel's vision was not and could not be fully realized,
except by a series of miracles, this devoted priest-prophet of the exile