Mash
Mash (or Meshech), a son of Aram, was a grandson of Shem (Gen.10.23; 1Ch.1.17).
Biography
Mash was a son of Aram and a grandson of Shem, the eldest son of Noah, placing him among the earliest post-Flood generations recorded in Scripture (Genesis 10:23). In the parallel genealogy of 1 Chronicles 1:17, he appears to be identified as Meshech, likely reflecting a variant transliteration of the same name. As one of Aram's four sons, alongside Uz, Hul, and Gether, Mash is considered the progenitor of an Aramean tribal group that settled in the regions of Upper Mesopotamia or the Syrian highlands. Though no narrative events are associated with him, his inclusion in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10) establishes him as a founding ancestor of one of the peoples that populated the ancient Near East following the dispersal from Babel.
Significance
Mash's significance lies in his role within the Table of Nations, the comprehensive genealogical record that traces the origins of the world's peoples from Noah's three sons. As a descendant of Shem, Mash belongs to the Semitic line through which God's redemptive purposes would ultimately unfold. The careful preservation of his name reflects the biblical conviction that God sovereignly ordained the boundaries and habitations of all nations (Acts 17:26). Though Mash himself plays no active narrative role, his genealogical placement within the Aramean branch of Shem's family contributes to the broader biblical framework that maps human civilization's spread and sets the stage for God's covenant with Abraham.
Verse Appearances (2)
Genesis
1 Chronicles
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]