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( îִùְׁ÷ֶä , mashkeh', one who gives to drink; so Gr. ïἰíï÷üïò , 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 (Gen_40:12; Gen_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 (Neh_1:11; Neh_2:1). Cup- bearers are mentioned amonn the attendants of Solomon (1Ki_10:5; 2Ch_9:4; so Achiacharus, Tob_1:22). They are frequently represented on the Assyrian monuments (Bonomi, Nin. p. 250), always as eunuchs (Lavard. Nin. 2:253).