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Cupbearer (מַשְׁקֶה, mashqeh). An officer of high rank in ancient Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, and Jewish courts.
It was the duty of the cupbearer to fill the king’s cup and deliver it to him. Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer is mentioned as part of Joseph’s story (Gen 40:1–23; 41:9). Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia (Neh 1:11). King Solomon also had cupbearers (1 Kgs 10:5; 2 Chr 9:4).
According to Xenophon, ancient cupbearers drank some of the king’s wine to see if it was poisoned before they offered the cup to him (Cyropaedia 1.3.9). Cupbearers could also have other duties, as indicated by Tobit 1:22: “Ahikar was cupbearer, keeper of the signet ring, administrator, and accountant.”
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