Mash is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Mash was a descendant of Aram, named among the sons of Aram in the genealogies of Genesis. He appears in the table of nations in Genesis 10, a chapter that traces the spread of the peoples and nations of the earth after the great flood through the line of Noah’s sons. In this setting, the descendants of Noah’s son Shem are listed, and Aram is numbered among Shem’s children. Mash is then recorded as one of Aram’s own children.
The verse that names him reads, “And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash” (Genesis 10:23). He is listed last among the four sons of Aram. Scripture records nothing further about him—no actions, no words, and no events connected to his life. He is known only by his place in this genealogy.
What Scripture says of Mash, then, is simply that he belonged to the line of Aram and stood within the broader family of Shem. His mention serves the purpose of the genealogy itself: showing how the nations descended from Noah’s sons. Beyond his name and his father, the biblical text tells us nothing about his life, his character, or his later descendants.
The Name
The name Mash is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable. Some have proposed possible connections to words suggesting “drawn out” or “departing,” but these suggestions are uncertain and not firmly established. Because the meaning of this name cannot be stated with confidence, it is best to say so plainly rather than assign it a meaning the text does not clearly support. What is certain is only the name itself and its place in the genealogy.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered by a long list of accomplishments. Mash appears once in all of Scripture—a single name in a long genealogy—and yet he is not forgotten by God. His brief mention reminds us that worth is not measured by how much is said about us, but by the simple fact that we belong to the story God is telling. Whether our lives are recorded in great detail or summed up in a single line, we are known and held by the One who numbers every generation.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Genesis 10:23 — And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.