ירמיהו, פרק ל״ח, פסוק ז׳

As news of the prophet being thrown into a pit spreads, it reaches the royal palace and catches the attention of a unique figure in the king's court. The exact identity of this man is a matter of discussion. The primary approach among commentators is that his recorded name is actually his given first name, rather than a job title, much like other common biblical names [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, חומת אנך]. The specific phrasing used in the text supports the idea that this is a personal name rather than a general reference to a royal servant [רד״ק]. Following this line of thought, his secondary title simply indicates his origin or appearance, suggesting he came from the land of Cush or had naturally dark skin [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

However, an alternative tradition offers a hidden layer to the narrative. According to this view, the name is indeed a title, and the man is actually Baruch the son of Neriah, the prophet's dedicated student who served as an official to King Zedekiah. In this context, the reference to a Cushite does not describe the servant, but rather King Zedekiah himself. Just as a Cushite visually stands out, Zedekiah stood out in his righteousness when compared to the wicked people of his generation [רש״י, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. Another variation of this tradition suggests that the description of being a Cushite was directed at Baruch the son of Neriah himself [רש״י].

Beyond his name, the man is identified by a specific rank. The commentators agree that this rank does not refer to a physically altered eunuch, but rather designates him as a prominent minister, a senior official, or a man of great influence within the royal court [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. When this high-ranking official hears the troubling news about the prophet, he is inside the royal palace. At that very moment, King Zedekiah is absent from the palace grounds, as he is sitting in judgment at the city gate known as the Gate of Benjamin [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].