mē´shek, mē´sek (משׁך, meshekh, “long,” “tall”; Μόσοχ,
Mósoch): Son of Japheth (Gen_10:2;
1Ch_1:5; 1Ch_1:17
is a scribal error for “Mash”; compare Gen_10:22,
Gen_10:23). His descendants and their
dwelling-place (probably somewhere in the neighborhood of armenia (Herodotus
iii. 94)) seem to be regarded in Scripture as synonyms for the barbaric and
remote (Psa_120:5; compare Isa_66:19, where Meshech should be read instead
of “that draw the bow”). It is thought that the “Tibareni and Moschi” of the
classical writers refer to the same people. Doubtless they appear in the annals
of Assyria as enemies of that country under the names Tabali and Mushki - the
latter the descendants of Meshech and the former those of Tubal to whom the
term “Tibareni” may refer in the clause above. This juxtaposition of names is
in harmony with practically every appearance of the word in Scripture. It is
seldom named without some one of the others - Tubal, Javan, Gog and Magog. It
is this which forms a good justification for making the suggested change in Isa_66:19, where Meshech would be in the usual
company of Tubal and Javan. Ezekiel mentions them several times, first, as
engaged in contributing to the trade of Tyre (Tiras of Gen_10:2?), in “vessels of brass” and - very
significantly - slaves; again there is the association of Javan and Tubal with
them (Eze_27:13); second, they are
included in his weird picture of the under-world: “them that go down into the
pit” (Eze_32:18, Eze_32:26). They are mentioned again with Gog
and Magog twice as those against whom the prophet is to “set his face” (Eze_38:2, Eze_38:3;
Eze_39:1).
Source:
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia