Cupbearer
Cup-bearer
(מִשׁקֶה, mashkeh', one who gives to drink; so Gr. οἰνοχόος, wine-pourer; Vulg. pincerna), an officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, as well as Jewish monarchs. The chief cup-bearer, or butler, to the king of Egypt was the means of raising Joseph to his high position (Ge 40:23; Ge 41:9). Rabshakeh, who was sent by Sennacherib to Hezekiah, appears from his name to have filled a like office in the Assyrian court (2Ki 18:17; Gesen. Thesaur. p. 1225), and it seems probable, from his association with Rab-saris (chief of the eunuchs), and from Eastern custom in general, that he was, like him, a eunuch (Gesen. p. 973). SEE RABSHAKEH. Herod the Great had an establishment of eunuchs, of whom one was a cup-bearer (Josephus, Ant. 16:8, 1). Nehemiah was cupbearer to Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia (Ne 1:11; Ne 2:1). Cup- bearers are mentioned amonn the attendants of Solomon (1Ki 10:5; 2Ch 9:4; so Achiacharus, Tobit, 1:22). They are frequently represented on the Assyrian monuments (Bonomi, Nin. p. 250), always as eunuchs (Lavard. Nin. 2:253).
