Meshech

views updated May 11 2018

MESHECH

MESHECH (Heb. מֶשֶׁךְ), a nation from Asia Minor, identified today with Muški of Assyrian sources (beginning about the 12th century b.c.e.) and with Μόσχοι of classical sources. In the table of nations (Gen. 10:2; i Chron. 1:5) Meshech appears after Javan and Tubal as one of the sons of Japheth. Meshech, again with Javan and Tubal, is mentioned in Ezekiel 17:13 as slave traders and merchants of copperware. This description appears to be historically accurate. The mention of Meshech together with Tubal and *Gog (Ezek. 38:2–3; 39:1), derives from the legend about Gog which gained currency in the time of Ezekiel.

bibliography:

E.A. Speiser, Genesis (1964), 66; R.D. Barnett, in: cah2, vol. 2, ch. 30 (1966), incl. bibl.; em, 5 (1968), 531–2, incl. bibl.