meshech Summary and Overview

drawing out, the sixth son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), the founder of a tribe (1 Chr. 1:5; Ezek. 27:13; 38:2,3). They were in all probability the Moschi, a people inhabiting the Moschian Mountains, between the Black and the Caspian Seas. In Ps. 120:5 the name occurs as simply a synonym for foreigners or barbarians. "During the ascendency of the Babylonians and Persians in Western Asia, the Moschi were subdued; but it seems probable that a large number of them crossed the Caucasus range and spread over the northern steppes, mingling with the Scythians. There they became known as Muscovs, and gave that name to the Russian nation and its ancient capital by which they are still generally known throughout the East"

ME'SHECH . Eze 27:13. See Mesech.

Japheth's sixth son. The Moschi, a warlike race in the mountainous region between Armenia, Iberia, and Colchis. Associated with Tubal, the Tibareni of Pontus. Psalm 120:5, I dwell among people lawless and fierce as "Mesech" at one extremity of the world and "Kedar" at the other. Gog's chief vassal, ideal representative of the pagan barbarian world. Ezekiel 27:13," they traded the persons of men" as slaves, and "vessels of copper," Ezekiel 32:26; Ezekiel 39:1. Moscow and Tobolsk may derive their names from Mesech and Tubal. Magog was Gog's original kingdom; he acquired also Mesech and Tubal, becoming their "chief prince" ("rest"; the Scythian Tauri and the Araxes were called Rhos, from whence Russia). Mesech was once one of the most powerful nations of western Asia. The Assyrians were frequently warring with them, from 1100 to 700 B.C.; then living E. of Taurus range and in Cappadocia. The inscriptions call them Muskai, the Tibareni Tuplai (Tubal). Caesarea Mazacha was the great Moschian capital.