מֶ֫שֶׁךְ (me.shekh)
me.shekh
Meshech
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Meshech appears in Scripture as both a person and a place, derived from a root meaning "drawing out." In Genesis 10, he is listed as a son of Japheth and grandson of Noah, representing one of the nations that populated the northern regions relative to Israel. The text associates his descendants with other groups like Tubal and Magog, pointing to peoples living on the borders of Colchis and Armenia.
A second usage identifies Meshech as a son of Aram, appearing in genealogies such as 1 Chronicles 1:17. Here, the name is treated as another form for Mash, linking him to Uz, Hul, and Gether. This dual appearance reflects how ancient names often shifted or merged across different textual traditions.
Translators handle this word by keeping it as a proper noun rather than translating its meaning directly. The sources note that the descendants of Meshech are frequently mentioned alongside other northern nations, highlighting their geographical and cultural distance from the central narrative of Israel. This usage underscores the wide reach of Noah’s family tree in the biblical worldview.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Meshech appears in Scripture as a proper noun, marking individuals and places on the edges of the biblical world. In Genesis 10 and 1 Chronicles 1, it lists descendants of Noah, showing how the nations spread out after the flood. This genealogy reminds us that God’s plan extends far beyond Israel to include all peoples and regions.
In Psalm 120, the psalmist uses Meshech as a symbol of distance and alienation from the peace of Zion. Living in Meshech meant being far from the center of worship and surrounded by hostile cultures. For believers today, this word highlights the longing for spiritual home and the comfort of God’s presence amidst foreign or difficult surroundings.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Meshech3×
- Meshech1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/מֶ֖שֶׁךְ2×
- מֶ֑שֶׁךְ1×
- וָ/מֶֽשֶׁךְ\׃\ \ס1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth were: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
This verse establishes Meshech as a son of Japheth, anchoring his identity in the post-flood dispersion of nations.
-
I Chronicles 1:5
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
The chronicler repeats this lineage to confirm the historical record of Japheth’s descendants for Israel’s readers.
-
Psalms 120:5
Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Here Meshech serves as a metaphor for spiritual exile and cultural alienation, contrasting sharply with the peace of Jerusalem.