Mash
Mash (Heb. id. מִשׁ, signif. unknown; Sept. Μοσόχ, Vulg, Mes), the last named of the four sons of Aram (B.C. post 2513), and a tribe descended from him, who gave their name to a region inhabited by them (Ge 10:23); probably, therefore, to be sought in Syria or Mesopotamia. In the parallel passage (1Ch 1:17) the name of MIESHECH has been erroneously substituted. Josephus (Ant. 1:6, 4) understands the Mesancei (Μησαναῖοι), and states that their locality "is now called Charax of Spasinus." evidently the same place (Χάραξ Πασινοῦ, Ptol. 6:3, 2), situated, according to others, at the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates (Plin. 6:26, and 31, ed. Hardouin). Most interpreters, however, following Bochart (Phaleg, 2:11), understand to be meant the inhabitants of Mount Malsius, which lies north of Nesibis, and forms part of the chain of Taurus separating Media from Mesopotamia (Strabo, 11:527; Ptol. v. 18, 2), of zwhich latter the Shemites occupied the southern part (Micilaelis, Spicileg. 2:140 sq.). "Knobel (Volkertajel, p. 237) seeks to reconcile this view with that of Josephus by the supposition of a migration from the north of Mesopotamia to the south of Babylonia, where the race may have been known in later times under the name of Meshech: the progress ef the population in these parts was, however, in an opposite direction, from south to north. Kalisch (Comm. on Genesis p. 286) connects the names of Mash and Mysia: this is, to say the least, extremely doubtful; both the Mysians themselves and their name (Mosia) were probably of European origin" (Smith). "It is remarkable that among the Asiatic confederates of the Kheta or Sheta, i.e. Hittites, who are enumerated as conquered by Rameses II at Kedesh on the Orontes, is found the prince of Maso or Masa (Brugsch, Hist. de 1'Egypte, 1:140, 142)." SEE ETHNOLOGY.
