later refers to the Moʹskhhoi and the Ti·ba·re·noiʹ in the same manner.

Many scholars suggest that the Mushku are to be related with the Phrygians, who apparently dominated much of western and central Asia Minor about the close of the second millennium B.C.E. King Mita of Mushku, referred to by Assyrian Emperor Sargon, is construed as being identical with King Midas of Phrygia, described in Greek tradition as ruling in the same period.

It is generally agreed that in a later period the Mushku moved farther toward the N. Some suggest that the name of the Mushku is to be traced on to that of the later Muscovites of Russia.

2. Meshech appears in the Masoretic text at 1 Chronicles 1:17 as a descendant of Shem, but the corresponding genealogy at Genesis 10:23 reads “Mash.”

MESHELEMIAH

(Me·shel·e·miʹah) [Jehovah recompenses, or, friendship of Jehovah].

A Kohathite Levite and ancestral head of a division of Korahites. He “had sons and brothers, capable men, eighteen,” who were assigned with him as gatekeepers of the sanctuary during King David’s reorganization of the priestly and Levitical services. (1 Chron. 26:1-3, 9) He is probably identical with the Shelemiah of 1 Chronicles 26:14. His son Zechariah “was the gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting.”—1 Chron. 9:21.

MESHEZABEL

(Me·shezʹa·bel) [God delivers].

1. A man of Judah of the family of Zerah and whose “son” Pethahiah “was at the side of the king for every matter of the people.”—Neh. 11:24.

2. Father of Berechiah and ancestor of the Meshullam who did repair work on the wall of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day.—Neh. 3:4.

3. One of the “heads of the people” (or his descendant) who attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” of Nehemiah’s time.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 21.

MESHILLEMITH

(Me·shilʹle·mith) [recompense, retribution].

A priest and descendant of Immer. (1 Chron. 9:10, 12) He is probably the same person as the Meshillemoth of Nehemiah 11:13.

MESHILLEMOTH

(Me·shilʹle·moth) [recompense].

1. An Ephraimite whose “son” Berechiah was one of the headmen of Ephraim who persuaded the Israelites of King Pekah’s day to release the captives they had taken in a successful military campaign against Judah.—2 Chron. 28:6-8, 12-15.

2. A priest who descended from Immer and was the ancestor of certain priests residing in Jerusalem after the Jews returned from Babylonian exile. (Neh. 11:10, 13, 14) He is probably identical with the Meshillemith of 1 Chronicles 9:12.

MESHOBAB

(Me·shoʹbab) [brought back].

A chieftain of the tribe of Simeon who had a large household and who participated in the seizure of pasturelands from the Hamites and the Meunim near Gedor in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah.—1 Chron. 4:34-42.

MESHULLAM

(Me·shulʹlam [recompensed, requited].

1. A family head in the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Jerusalem; son of Elpaal.—1 Chron. 8:1, 17, 18, 28.

2. A leading Gadite resident of Bashan enrolled genealogically as a son of Abihail during the reigns of Jotham and Jeroboam II (apparently two different enrollments, for the reigns of these kings did not overlap).—1 Chron. 5:11, 13, 14, 16, 17.

3. Grandfather or ancestor of King Josiah’s secretary Shaphan.—2 Ki. 22:3.

4. Father or ancestor of High Priest Hilkiah of King Josiah’s reign. (1 Chron. 9:11; Neh. 11:11) Meshullam himself had perhaps acted as high priest. Some of his descendants lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is apparently called Shallum at 1 Chronicles 6:12, 13 and Ezra 7:2; see SHALLUM No. 7.

5. A Kohathite Levite, one of several in charge of repairing the temple under King Josiah.—2 Chron. 34:1, 8, 12.

6. A priest whose descendants (at least three generations after him) lived in Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon.—1 Chron. 9:2, 3, 10, 12.

7. A Benjamite whose son Sallu was a family head in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. (1 Chron. 9:3, 7, 9) Presumably the same as the Meshullam listed in Nehemiah 11:7.

8. A Benjamite family head who himself lived in Jerusalem after the exile.—1 Chron. 9:3, 7-9.

9. The first-listed son of Governor Zerubbabel; descendant of King David.—1 Chron. 3:1, 19.

10. Head of the priestly paternal house of Ezra in the days of Jeshua’s successor Joiakim. (Neh. 12:12, 13) Possibly the same as Nos. 18 and/or 19.

11. Head of the paternal house of priests founded by Ginnethon; during the officiate of Joiakim. (Neh. 12:12, 16) Possibly the same as Nos. 18 and/or 19.

12. A gatekeeper in the days of Joiakim, Ezra and Nehemiah.—Neh. 12:25, 26.

13. A head one among the people assembled at the river Ahava for the trip to Jerusalem with Ezra in 468 B.C.E. Meshullam was one of several whom Ezra assigned to help gather a number of Levites and Nethinim to make the journey also. (Ezra 8:15-20) Possibly the same as Nos. 16 and/or 17, 20, 21.

14. A Levite who apparently supported Ezra’s admonition to send away the foreign wives he found among the Israelites on Ezra’s return to Jerusalem. However, the text may be read to mean that he opposed Ezra’s proposal.—Ezra 10:10-15; see JAHZEIAH; SHABBETHAI.

15. One of the “sons” or descendants of Bani who responded favorably to Ezra’s admonition by sending away their foreign wives and sons.—Ezra 10:29, 44.

16. Son of Berechiah who, under direction of Governor Nehemiah repaired two sections of Jerusalem’s wall. (Neh. 3:4, 30) Meshullam also gave his daughter in marriage to Jehohanan the son of Tobiah the Ammonite, a marriage union that caused division among the restored Israelites.—Neh. 6:17-19; 4:3; see No. 13 above.

17. Co-rebuilder of the Gate of the Old City in Nehemiah’s wall-repair project; son of Besodeiah.—Neh. 3:6; see No. 13.

18. One of those who stood at Ezra’s left when he read from the Law to the assembled crowd in the seventh month of 455 B.C.E. Meshullam was probably a priest.—Neh. 8:2, 4; see Nos. 10 and 11.

19. A priest (or forefather of a priest) who subscribed to the covenant of faithfulness proposed by the Levites.—Neh. 9:5, 38; 10:1, 7, 8; see Nos. 10 and 11.

20. A headman of the people whose descendant, if not himself, also attested to the same contract.—Neh. 10:1, 14, 20; see No. 13.

21. Apparently a prince of Judah who marched in one of the processional groups when Jerusalem’s rebuilt wall was inaugurated.—Neh. 12:32, 33; see No. 13.

MESHULLEMETH

(Me·shulʹle·meth) [probably the feminine form of “Meshullam,” meaning “recompensed, requited”].

Daughter of “Haruz from Jotbah” who became the wife of Judean King Manasseh and the mother of King Amon.—2 Ki. 21:19, 20.

MESOPOTAMIA

(Mes·o·po·taʹmi·a) [Gr., land between the rivers].

The Greek term for the stretch of land located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It apparently corresponds to the Hebrew designation of related meaning, Aram-naharaim (Ps. 60, title). In fact, the translators of the Greek Septuagint usually rendered “Aram-naharaim” as “Mesopotamia.”—See ARAM No. 5.

The application of the term “Mesopotamia” varies both in ancient and modern usage. Basically, in a broad sense, it embraces the entire region that lies between the Tigris and the Euphrates and stretches from the Persian Gulf in the S to the mountains of Turkey and Iran in the N. This would include the alluvial plain of ancient Babylonia extending some 250 miles (402 kilometers) to the S of Baghdad. (See BABYLONIA.) In a narrower sense, however, Babylonia is excluded, only the region to the N being termed Mesopotamia. This northern region consists of a low undulating plateau having numerous enclosed basins. It is also a rocky area.

Evidence for the broad usage of the designation in the first century C.E. is found at Acts 7:2, where Stephen spoke of Abraham as residing in “Mesopotamia” while yet at Ur, a city of Babylonia. But it is not possible to establish with certainty whether the Hebrew “Aram-naharaim” likewise included Babylonia. Whenever there is a basis for determining the general geographical location mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, the northern area around Haran (Gen. 24:2-4, 10) or the northern mountainous region around Pethor (Deut. 23:4; compare Numbers 23:7) is included under the designation “Aram-naharaim” (Mesopotamia). Although the extent of the area under the control of Mesopotamian King Cushan-rishathaim (the oppressor of Israel in the time of Judge Othniel) is uncertain, the seat of his government may also have been in the N. (Judg. 3:8-10; see CUSHAN-RISHATHAIM.) It was probably from northern Mesopotamia that Ammonite King Hanun hired chariots and horsemen for his fight against King David.—1 Chron. 19:6, 7.

Among the Jews and proselytes present at Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost in 33 C.E. there were inhabitants of Mesopotamia. (Acts 2:1, 2, 9) These could have included residents from the southern part of that land, namely, Babylonia. In this regard it is noteworthy that the historian Josephus reports that “great numbers” of Jews were in Babylonia in the first century B.C.E.—Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, chap. II, par. 2.

MESSENGER

One bearing a message, either oral or written, or one sent on an errand. (Gen. 32:3-6; Judg. 6:34, 35; 11:12-27; 2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Ki. 19:2; 2 Ki. 19:8-14; Luke 7:18-24; 9:52) At times runners served in this capacity. (2 Chron. 30:6-10; Jer. 51:31) For more rapid communication messengers were dispatched on horses. (2 Ki. 9:17-19; Esther 8:10-14; see COURIER.) Messengers of ancient times included heralds who publicly proclaimed royal or state decrees. (Dan. 3:4-6; 5:29) Messengers might be sent to sue for peace (Isa. 33:7), to request military assistance (2 Ki. 16:7; 17:4) or to demand tribute or the surrender of a city. (1 Ki. 20:1-9; 2 Ki. 18:17-35) They were accorded freedom of passage to accomplish their mission. A mistreatment of royal messengers sent on a courtesy visit to another nation was serious enough to precipitate war.—2 Sam. 10:1-7; see AMBASSADOR.

Both the Hebrew and the Greek word for “messenger” may refer to spirit messengers or angels. (Ps. 104:4; John 1:51) Whether human or angelic messengers are meant can be determined by the context, At Isaiah 63:9, for example, Jehovah’s “personal messenger” is evidently his angel, for this messenger saved the Israelites.—Compare Exodus 14:19, 20.

Besides using angelic messengers to convey information to men and women on earth and to accomplish other tasks (see ANGEL), Jehovah has repeatedly employed human messengers. His prophets and priests were his messengers to the nation of Israel. (2 Chron. 36:15, 16; Hag. 1:13; Mal. 2:7) The statements of his prophets were certain of fulfillment, for Jehovah is “the One that carries out completely the counsel of his own messengers.”—Isa. 44:26.

“MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT”

In fulfillment of Malachi 3:1, John the Baptist appeared as the messenger who prepared the way before Jehovah by getting the Jews ready for the coming of God’s chief representative, Jesus Christ, the “messenger of the covenant.” (Matt. 11:10, 11; Mark 1:1-4; Luke 7:27, 28) As such Jesus Christ came to the temple and cleansed it. (Matt. 21:12, 13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45, 46) He evidently was the messenger of the Abrahamic covenant, for it was on the basis of this covenant that the Jews were the first ones to be granted the opportunity to become Kingdom heirs. This was the covenant to which Peter appealed when calling upon the Jews to repent. It is also noteworthy that John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, referred to the Abrahamic covenant in connection with Jehovah’s raising up ‘a horn of salvation in the house of David,’ this horn being the Messiah.—Compare Matthew 10:5-7; 15:24; 21:31; Luke 1:69-75; Acts 3:12, 19-26.

MESSIAH

From the Hebrew root verb ma·shahhʹ, meaning “to smear,” and so “to anoint.” Messiah (ma·shiʹahh) means “anointed” or “anointed one.” The Greek equivalent is Khri·stosʹ or Christ.

In the Hebrew Scriptures the adjective form ma·shiʹahh is applied to many men. David was officially appointed to be king by being anointed with oil and so is spoken of as “anointed one” or, literally, “messiah.” (2 Sam. 19:21; 22:51; 23:1; Ps. 18:50) Other kings, including Saul and Solomon, are termed “anointed one” or “the anointed of Jehovah.” (1 Sam. 2:10, 35; 12:3, 5; 24:6, 10; 2 Sam. 1:14, 16; 2 Chron. 6:42; Lam. 4:20) The term is also applied to the high priest. (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:22) The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are called Jehovah’s “anointed ones” or m^eshi·hhimʹ (LXX, khri·stoiʹ). (1 Chron. 16:16, 22) Persian King Cyrus is termed “anointed one,” in that he was appointed by God for a certain assignment.—Isa. 45:1; see ANOINTED, ANOINTING; CHRIST.

In the Christian Greek Scriptures the transliterated form Mes·siʹas occurs in the Greek text at John 1:41, with the explanation, “which means, when translated, Christ.” (See also John 4:25.) Sometimes the word Khri·stosʹ is used alone with reference to the one who is or who claims to be the Messiah or the Anointed One. (Matt. 2:4; 22:42; Mark 13:21) In most of its appearances, though, Khri·stosʹ is accompanied by the personal name Jesus, as, “Jesus Christ” or “Christ Jesus,” to designate him as the Messiah. At times the word is used alone but specifically referring to Jesus with the understanding that Jesus is The Christ, as in the statement, “Christ died for us.”—Rom. 5:8; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 1:1, 2; 16:24.

MESSIAH IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

At Daniel 9:25, 26 the word ma·shiʹahh applies exclusively to the coming Messiah. (See SEVENTY WEEKS.) However, many other texts of the Hebrew Scriptures also point to this coming One, even if not exclusively so. For instance, Psalm 2:2 evidently had first application at the time when Philistine kings tried to unseat anointed King David. But a second application, to the foretold Messiah, is established by Acts 4:25-27, where the text is applied to Jesus Christ. Also, many of the men called “anointed” in various ways prefigured or pictured Jesus Christ and the work he would do, among these being David, the high priest of Israel and Moses (spoken of as Christ at Hebrews 11:23-26).

Prophecies not using “Messiah”

Numerous other Hebrew Scripture texts that do not specifically mention “Messiah” were understood by the Jews as prophecies applying to that one. Dr. A. Edersheim located 456 passages to which the “ancient Synagogue referred as Messianic,” and there were 558 references in the most ancient Rabbinic writings