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! The fourth of five woe oracles condemns Babylon's brutal exploitation of conquered nations. The imagery of forcing drink to expose shame depicts deliberate humiliation—making victims vulnerable to mock their degradation. The Hebrew חֶמְאָה (chemah, bottle/wrath) creates wordplay: Babylon offers both literal intoxication and divine wrath.
"Makest him drunken" (וְשַׁכֵּר/veshakker) indicates coercive action—forcing intoxication to exploit weakness. "That thou mayest look on their nakedness" (לְמַעַן הַבִּיט עַל־מְעוֹרֵיהֶם/lema'an habbit al-me'oreyhem) reveals malicious intent—not accidental exposure but deliberate shaming. This describes Babylon's treatment of conquered peoples: stripping dignity, exposing vulnerability, reveling in their humiliation.
The passage applies to all forms of exploitation—using power to degrade others, finding pleasure in their shame. It condemns manipulation, abuse of authority, and treating human beings as objects for entertainment or dominance. God's woe declares that such cruelty will not go unpunished—those who humiliate will themselves be shamed.
Historical Context
Babylonian conquest involved systematic humiliation of defeated peoples. Kings were blinded, princes executed, populations paraded naked in chains. Ancient Near Eastern victory monuments depicted this shaming—visual propaganda celebrating enemies' degradation. Babylon's treatment of conquered Judah included forcing King Zedekiah to watch his sons' execution before being blinded (2 Kings 25:7)—the ultimate humiliation.
The imagery also recalls Noah's son Ham, who 'saw his father's nakedness' and was cursed (Genesis 9:22-25). Exposing shame was considered extreme dishonor in ancient culture. Babylon's deliberate humiliation of nations would be reversed—verse 16 declares Babylon itself will drink God's cup of wrath and be exposed to shame.
Questions for Reflection
How does this woe against exploitation challenge modern abuses of power—economic, political, or social systems that profit from others' degradation?
What forms of 'looking on nakedness' exist today—entertainment or media that exploits human vulnerability and shame?
How should Christians respond when witnessing or benefiting from systems that humiliate and dehumanize others?
Analysis & Commentary
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! The fourth of five woe oracles condemns Babylon's brutal exploitation of conquered nations. The imagery of forcing drink to expose shame depicts deliberate humiliation—making victims vulnerable to mock their degradation. The Hebrew חֶמְאָה (chemah, bottle/wrath) creates wordplay: Babylon offers both literal intoxication and divine wrath.
"Makest him drunken" (וְשַׁכֵּר/veshakker) indicates coercive action—forcing intoxication to exploit weakness. "That thou mayest look on their nakedness" (לְמַעַן הַבִּיט עַל־מְעוֹרֵיהֶם/lema'an habbit al-me'oreyhem) reveals malicious intent—not accidental exposure but deliberate shaming. This describes Babylon's treatment of conquered peoples: stripping dignity, exposing vulnerability, reveling in their humiliation.
The passage applies to all forms of exploitation—using power to degrade others, finding pleasure in their shame. It condemns manipulation, abuse of authority, and treating human beings as objects for entertainment or dominance. God's woe declares that such cruelty will not go unpunished—those who humiliate will themselves be shamed.