Habakkuk 2 · Verse 15

Habakkuk 2:15

Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
Habakkuk 2:15, King James Version

Habakkuk 2:15 in other translations

BSBWoe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!
WEB“Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!
ASVWoe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
YLTWoe to him who is giving drink to his neighbour, Pouring out thy bottle, and also making drunk, In order to look on their nakedness.
DARBYWoe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, — that pourest out thy flask, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
BBEA curse on him who gives his neighbour the wine of his wrath, making him overcome with strong drink from the cup of his passion, so that you may be a witness of their shame!
WebsterWoe to him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

What does Habakkuk 2:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. giveth ... neighbour drink ... puttest ... bottle to him--literally, "skin," as the Easterns use "bottles" of skin for wine. Maurer, from a different Hebrew root, translates, "that pourest in thy wrath." English Version keeps up the metaphor better. It is not enough for thee to be "drunken" thyself, unless thou canst lead others into the same state. The thing meant is, that the Chaldean king, with his insatiable desires (a kind of intoxication), allured neighboring states into the same mad thirst for war to obtain booty, and then at last exposed them to loss and shame (compare Is 51:17; Ob 16). An appropriate image of Babylon, which at last fell during a drunken revel (Da 5:1-31). that thou mayest look on their nakedness!--with light, like Ham of old (Ge 9:22).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Wo unto him that giveth his neighbor drink - This has been considered as applying to Pharaoh-hophra, king of Egypt, who enticed his neighbors Jehoiachin and Zedekiah to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, whereby the nakedness and imbecility of the poor Jews was soon discovered; for the Chaldeans soon took Jerusalem, and carried its kings, princes, and people, into captivity.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Habakkuk 2:15-20
A severe woe is pronounced against drunkenness; it is very fearful against all who are guilty of drunkenness at any time, and in any place, from the stately palace to the paltry ale-house. To give one drink who is in want, who is thirsty and poor, or a weary traveller, or ready to perish, is charity; but to give a neighbour drink, that he may expose himself, may disclose secret concerns, or be drawn into a bad bargain, or for any such purpose, this is wickedness. To be guilty of this sin, to take pleasure in it, is to do what we can towards the murder both of soul and body. There is woe to him, and punishment answering to the sin. The folly of worshipping idols is exposed. The Lord is in his holy temple in heaven, where we have access to him in the way he has appointed. May we welcome his salvation, and worship him in his earthly temples, through Christ Jesus, and by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Habakkuk 2:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ה֚וֹיHowoe to!H1945
מַשְׁקֵ֣הmash.Keh[one who] makes drinkH8248
רֵעֵ֔הוּre.'E.hu<of> neighbor hisH7453
מְסַפֵּ֥חַme.sa.Pe.ach[you are] pouring outH5596
חֲמָתְךָ֖cha.ma.te.Kharage yourH2534
וְאַ֣ףve.'Afand evenH637
שַׁכֵּ֑רsha.Keryou make [them] drunkH7937
לְמַ֥עַןle.Ma.'anso asH4616
הַבִּ֖יטha.Bitto lookH5027
עַל\־'al-onH5921
מְעוֹרֵיהֶֽם\׃me.'o.rei.Hemnakedness<es> theirH4589

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Habakkuk 2:15

  • Jeremiah 51:7

    Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

  • Genesis 9:22

    And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

  • Revelation 18:3

    For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

  • Revelation 17:2

    With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

  • Hosea 7:5

    In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

  • Revelation 17:6

    And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

  • 2 Samuel 13:26-28

    Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

  • Genesis 19:32-35

    Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

  • 2 Samuel 11:13

    And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

  • Exodus 32:25

    And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

  • Jeremiah 25:15

    For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
unto.
Ge 19:32-35; 2Sa 11:13; 13:26-28; Jer 25:15; 51:7; Re 17:2,6; 18:3
that puttest.
Ho 7:5
that thou.
Ge 9:22; Ex 32:25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Habakkuk 2:14

    For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

  • Habakkuk 2:15

    Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

  • Habakkuk 2:16

    Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

Read all of Habakkuk 2

Habakkuk 2:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¡Ay del que da de beber á sus compañeros, que les acercas tu hiel y embriagas, para mirar sus desnudeces!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Malheur à celui qui donne à boire à son prochain, – à toi qui verses ton outre, et qui aussi enivres, afin que tu regardes leur nudité!
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wehe dem, der seinem Nächsten zu trinken gibt, indem du deinen Zorn beimischest und sie auch trunken machst, um ihre Blöße anzuschauen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Væ qui potum dat amico suo mittens fel suum, et inebrians ut aspiciat nuditatem ejus!