MESECH and MESHECH flt ; and Mosoch), the sixth son of Japheth, and founder of an ancient nation (Gen. x. 2; r Chron. i. 5). Hislposterity is not mentioned in either Genesis or Chronicles; but the nation is evidently alluded to in Ps. cxx. 5, in conjunction with Kedar, apparently as representing places so remote and barbarous that exile to them would be regarded as a grievous punishment : Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.' The LXX. here reads, Woe is me that my so journing is prolonged' (o(goL 6n i1 rapoucta gou 4,acutptivSii ; Vulgate, quad incolatus meus prolonga tus est), a rendering which the Hebrew text in its present state will not bear. Several commenta tors translate the word as an appellative, though the construction of the parallelism indicate the contrary (see Venema, and Pol. Sy2topszIr Grit., ad loc.) Meshech is mentioned by Ezekiel among those nations which traded in the marts of Tyre, bringing slaves and vessels of brass (xxvii. 13); c.nd again, as involved in the ruin of Egypt (xxxii. 26). The same prophet also connects Meshech with Gog and Magog (xxxviii. 2 ; xxxix. I).
There is no indication given in any of these pas. sages of the geographical position of Meshech farther than that the nation had its possessions among the descendants of Japheth. It is worthy of note that Meshech and Tubal are almost uni formly connected in Scripture as neighbouring nations, joining also in traffic (Ezek., 1. c.) Now, in the writings of Herodotus we find two very ancient tribes, the Moschi and Tiburimi, associated as forming part of the nineteenth satrapy of Persia (iii. 94) and again, as armed in the same way, and under the command of one leader in the army of Xerxes (vii. 7S). There can be no doubt that these are identical with Meshech and Tubai of Scripture. The names are also joined frequently on the Assyrian inscriptions (Rawlinson's Herodotus, i. 651; cf. Pliny, vi. 4). The primitive seat of the Moschi appears to have been among the Caucasus mountains, on the south-eastern shores of the Black Sea, immediately north of Armenia (Strabo, xi., pp. 49S, seq.); and, according to Strabo, a part of the great chain or group of mountains took the name Moschi (xi. p. 521). The Moschi were,
however, a wild and warlike race, and extended their depredations and conquests far beyond the confines of their native hills. Cappadocia appears to have been, at least in part, occupied by them (Joseph. Antig. i. 6. i), and probably from them its capital city took its name Mazaka (Strabo, xii. p. 53S ; Rawlinson's Herodot., iv. 222). In the time of the Hebrew prophets their power was felt even in Syria and Egypt in conjunction with their Scythic allies, Gog and Magog, under whose com mand they had apparently placed themselves. It is interesting to observe how Ezekiel's description of their equipments—' bucklers, small shields ()an), and swords' (Ezek. xxxviii. t-4)—corresponds with that of Herodotus (vii. 7S). Tubal and Meshech are also mentioned by Ezekiel (xxvii. 13) as supplying Tyre with copper and slaves; and it is known that copper abounds in northern Armenia, while to the present day the tribes of the Caucasus —the Georgians and Circassians —supply the Turkish harims with female slaves; and it appears that this infamous traffic has continued uninter ruptedly from the earliest ages (see Bochart, Opera, 182). During the ascendency of the Babylonians and Persians in western Asia the Moschi were sub dued ; 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 Muskovs, and gave that name to the Russian nation, and its ancient capital, by which they are still universally known throughout the East (Rawlinson's Herod., iv. 222).
The word occurs in ls. lxvi. 19, and is translated in the A. V., that draw the bow.' The LXX. renders the word as a proper name, Moaox, and omits rup ('bow'). Lowth thinks that the Hebrew is corrupted and the Greek version cor rect ; but this is against all evidence (cf. Jer. xlvi. 9). The same word is found in Jer. v. 8, and Ihn Ezra conjectures that it is a proper name, but the construction of the passage is against him.
For fuller information regarding Meshech, con sult Bochart (/. c.) ; also Kalisch (on Gen. x.) ; Michaelis (Spicileg. i. 5o); Ritter (Erdkunde, x. 816); Rawlinson (/. c.)—J. L. P.