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. Ps 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. Eze 27:13," they traded the persons of men" as slaves, and "vessels of copper," Eze 32:26; 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.

Mes'ech

Place mentioned in connection with Kedar: probably connected with Gog. The Psalmist was dwelling among quite strange nations. Ps 120:5. The Hebrew is the same as MESHECH: see No. 1.