This is a title, signifying “chief cup-bearer,” borne by an officer who was sent by Sennacherib with the Tartan (general) and a Rab-saris to Jerusalem. He was the chief spokesman; and from the fact of his being able to speak in the Jews’ language, he is supposed to have been either a proselyte or an apostate Jew. If so he may possibly have been acquainted with Isaiah 10:5-6, for he says, “Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it” (2 Kings 18:17-37). On the other hand, he profanely classes the God of Israel with all the gods that could not protect their worshippers from his master (2 Kings 19:4,8; Isa. 36:2-22; Isa. 37:4-8).