Nasi

Nasi

The noun nasi and variations occurs 132 times in the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, and in English is usually translated "prince," occasionally "captain." It is not a ruler but one lifted up like arising mist.

What does that mean?

The hidden meaning of this simple word is tied to one of priatory themes and mysteries of scripture and the kingdom of God.

The first use is for the twelve "princes" who will descend from Ishmael, in Genesis 17:20, and the second use, in Genesis 23:6, is when the Hittites recognising Abraham as "a godly prince" (נְשִׂיא אֱלֹהִים‎ naśi elohim).

In Leviticus 4:22–26, there is the rite of sacrifices by leaders who are in err where a special offering is made by a "nasi".

In Numbers 7 each tribe has a nasi who brings a gift to the Tabernacle.

In Numbers 34:16–29 the nesi'im of each tribe is responsible for apportioning of tribal inheritances.

Later in the history of ancient Israel, the title of nasi was given to the political ruler of Judea (Ezekiel 44:2–18; Ezra 1:8) which was an alteration of the way taught and intended by Moses.

This was the result of the people turning from being ruled by God in their heart and mind to being ruled by a king which we see in 1 Samuel 8. That neglect of the people was the sloth that opened the door to the fooishness of King Saul. This in turn led to the Mishnah defining the nasi of Leviticus 4 to mean the king.

This king was the benefactor who exercise authority spoken of by Christ.

Second Temple period

During the Second Temple period (c. 530 BCE – 70 CE), the nasi was the highest-ranking member and president of the Sanhedrin which would become lawmakers rather than repected men engaged in righteous service like Simon the Just.

Instead of protecting the people from injustice through the appeal process of the cities of refuge it began to legislate through the a judgment seat of a court.

By 191 BC the Sanhedrin usurped the High Priest and sought to be head of itself.

The nasi became like unto the exilarch of Babylonia and the office the "fathers of the earth", Conscripti Patri, and Patronus respected by the Romans.

The transformed nasi of this new Jewish State as Patriarch relied upon taxation of both strangers and members for the support of an hierarchy.

Later the nasi became an exercising authority that both Jews and Romans respected.

The nasi served as a political power and liberty of the people diminished. This expanding power of the nazi to appoint and suspend leaders and porters and set the thirteenth month of the calendar, Adar Bet, for payment of compelled tax liabilities.

Christ fired the moneychangers or porters of the temple and appointed those chosen through the tens.

Gamaliel VI was the last nasi of that corrupt system. He died in 425 AD, after which Emperor Theodosius II diverted the tax to the Roman treasury.

The term nasi fluctuated in its meaning as societies moved in out between system of legal charity and liberty until modern Hebrew defined the term nasi to mean "president".

The word Nasi is used as the title of the Head of State and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Israel today.