On both sides of the larger sacred area (Ezekiel 45:1–6), the rest of the holy portion was given to the prince. The same pattern of limited access that applied in the temple also applied to the land around it. Not everyone had the same level of access to the holy space.
The temple would be the geographic and spiritual center of the new Israel. The land would be divided into sections that ran from east to west. This layout arranged the whole nation around the temple’s east–west line.
The city and the prince would still have important roles. However, they would no longer stand at the center. The Lord himself was Israel’s true King. His dwelling place would be the center of their life as a people.