Habakkuk 2 15

Habakkuk 2:15 kjv

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 nkjv

"Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, Pressing him to your bottle, Even to make him drunk, That you may look on his nakedness!

Habakkuk 2:15 niv

"Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!

Habakkuk 2:15 esv

"Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink ? you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!

Habakkuk 2:15 nlt

"What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk!
You force your cup on them
so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.

Habakkuk 2 verses

Habakkuk 2 15 Meaning

Habakkuk 2:15 pronounces a divine "Woe" upon those who debase their neighbors by intoxicating them and then exploit their vulnerability. It describes the act of forcing a harmful, poison-like drink upon someone, not merely for inebriation, but with the wicked intent of exposing their nakedness and reveling in their shame and humiliation. This passage condemns actions that actively seek to corrupt, exploit, and publicly disgrace others for one's own perverse pleasure or gain, representing a profound violation of trust and human dignity.

Habakkuk 2 15 Context

Habakkuk 2:15 is the third of five "woes" (Hab 2:6, 9, 12, 15, 19) pronounced against the oppressor, commonly understood to be the Babylonian empire. These woes delineate the sins of the wicked nation (Chaldeans) that God is using to discipline Judah, yet whose own wickedness will also meet divine judgment. Each woe exposes a particular form of their sinful exploitation and the corresponding just retribution they will receive from God. This specific woe targets their malicious pleasure in humiliating and debasing others, akin to making someone drunk to expose their shame. It highlights a predatory relationship, where the strong delight in the degradation of the vulnerable, signifying moral depravity and an abuse of power that is detestable to God. The immediate literary context implies that this refers to the Babylonians reveling in the conquest and subsequent humiliation of the nations they subjugated, specifically Judah.

Habakkuk 2 15 Word analysis

• Woe! (הוי - hoy): An interjection, typically translated as "woe," signaling a prophetic denunciation, a lament, or a pronouncement of judgment. It’s a divine curse, a warning of severe misfortune and punishment, used to condemn specific transgressions. It carries immense spiritual weight, indicating God's righteous anger.
• to him who gives his neighbor drink (מַשְׁקֵה רֵעֵהוּ - mashqēh rē'ēhû): "Mashqeh" literally means "drink," but here, "strong drink" or "intoxicant" is implied. "Re'ehû" means "his neighbor," signifying not an enemy but one with whom there might be a relationship or whom one ought to treat justly. The act is a betrayal of this expected conduct. It's a calculated act to incapacitate someone.
• pressing your poison cup upon him (מְסַפֵּחַ חֲמָתְךָ וְאַף מַשְׁקֶה - məsappēaḥ ḥămātḵā wəʾap mashqeh):
  • pressing (מְסַפֵּחַ - məsappēaḥ): The verb "sāphaḥ" (from which "məsappēaḥ" is derived) means "to add," "to join," "to cleave to," "to force upon." In this context, it implies a deliberate, forceful, and malicious intent to ensure consumption of the destructive drink. It's not a gentle offering, but a coercive action.
  • your poison (חֲמָתְךָ - ḥămātḵā): "Ḥēmâ" can mean "heat," "fury," "wrath," or "poison" (venom). Here, it implies a toxic, destructive quality to the drink or the underlying malevolent intent. It's not just regular alcohol; it's a "poison" intended to disorient and debase, a reflection of the oppressor's "wrath" or cruel intent against the victim.
  • cup (Implied through context of drinking and other 'cup' imagery in Scripture): The idea of a cup often signifies one's lot or destiny, frequently used for divine judgment or wrath in prophetic literature. Here, the cup contains "poison" from the giver's malice.
• and making him drunk (שַׁכְּרוֹ - shakk'rô): To cause someone to become intoxicated, to render them spiritually and physically vulnerable and incapacitated. The purpose of this intoxication is not innocent pleasure, but to make the victim unable to resist or defend themselves.
• to gaze on their nakedness (לְהַבִּיט בְּמַעֲרֵיהֶם - ləhabbîṭ bəmaʿărêhem):
  • to gaze (לְהַבִּיט - ləhabbîṭ): Implies a prolonged, intentional, and often malicious looking. It's voyeurism, taking perverse pleasure in the exposed state of another.
  • on their nakedness (בְּמַעֲרֵיהֶם - bəmaʿărêhem): "Maʿărîm" refers to the private parts, exposed state, or state of being stripped bare. Symbolically, "nakedness" denotes extreme vulnerability, shame, disgrace, and public humiliation. It’s the ultimate debasement.
  • Words-group analysis: "Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pressing your poison cup upon him and making him drunk": This describes the intentional act of causing someone to lose self-control and discernment. The "poison cup" underscores the malevolent intent—it's not mere intoxication but a means to inflict harm. The oppressor manipulates, not simply for control, but for their own perverse enjoyment derived from the victim's degradation. The phrase sets up the horrific outcome that follows.
  • "to gaze on their nakedness!": This specifies the horrific goal: to revel in the shame and dishonor of the victim. The oppressor finds delight in the utter humiliation of the other, revealing a profound lack of empathy and a perverse, predatory nature. It's about spiritual and physical nakedness—stripped of dignity, exposed to ridicule.

Habakkuk 2 15 Bonus section

This "woe" has been interpreted in some commentaries as referring specifically to the Babylonians intoxicating the nations with their idolatrous practices and oppressive culture, causing them to stumble into spiritual "nakedness" or moral debasement. The "cup" motif is common in prophetic literature for divine wrath, but here it's turned around: the oppressor dispenses a cup of "poison" (representing their malicious intent or destructive ideology) that brings a different kind of nakedness – moral and spiritual disgrace – upon their victims, before God turns a cup of actual wrath back on them. The deliberate enjoyment in observing this induced vulnerability and shame highlights the utterly depraved nature of the oppressor, an attitude completely antithetical to God’s justice and mercy.

Habakkuk 2 15 Commentary

Habakkuk 2:15 stands as a profound indictment of exploitation and malicious pleasure in another's downfall. The "Woe!" declares God's solemn condemnation upon those who actively, even cunningly, lead others into a state of spiritual, moral, or physical vulnerability through intoxicating or debilitating means. The "poison cup" symbolizes not just literal alcohol, but any destructive influence or deceitful scheme that saps an individual's discernment and strength, with the ultimate intention of subjugation and debasement. The act of "gazing on their nakedness" speaks to the ultimate form of dehumanization: savoring another's humiliation, exposed helplessness, and utter shame. This verse reveals a characteristic of oppressors, both historical Babylon and broader types, who delight in tearing down human dignity for their own gratification or gain. God sees this as an abominable sin that warrants severe judgment, as it perverts the very nature of human interaction and despises the image of God in others. It's a reciprocal judgment promised in Habakkuk 2:16, where the perpetrators will themselves be filled with disgrace instead of glory. This condemnation reminds believers of the sanctity of human dignity and the grave sin of actively causing another's downfall for personal gratification.

• Example: A modern application might involve those who use drugs or alcohol to incapacitate another for sexual assault or financial exploitation.
• Example: Also, those who spread malicious rumors to publicly shame or discredit someone, effectively "uncovering their nakedness" through slander.