| Hab 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! |
A Complex, Declarative Sentence.
This is a single sentence with four clauses. Each of the clauses (in turn) points back to "He who deserves Woe.". Clause two and three describes his actions while clause four defines his motive. Each of these four clauses (in turn) points back to the main (independent) clause..."He who deserves Woe."
However, it is important to note that although clauses two and three describe his actions it is clause four that describes his motive. A less descriptive, however, equally forceful declaration would be: "Woe unto him who [does whatever], that thou mayest look on his neighbor's nakedness.". If you look closely you will find that this person's sin is not (so much) the means...but the end ("that thou mayest look on their nakedness!"). And, without this "ending" it flees from the context of this whole chapter and book. (NOTE: The commentaries quoted below.)
Admittedly drunkeness is a sin. However, in this particular case it is not the drunkeness which brings on the Woe, it is the motive. The devious way that it is accomplished is secondary to that, regardless of the method, the motive is sinful. Let's follow this sentence, below, clause by clause...
Complex Sentence: "A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 67)
Declarative Sentence: "A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a statement."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 68)
Conjunction: "A conjunction is a word that joins words or groups of words."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 17)
Subordinating Conjunction: "A conjunction that begins an adverb clause is called a subordinating conjunction. It joins the clause to the rest of the sentence."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 63)
Relative Pronoun: "A relative pronoun is a pronoun that begins a subordinate clause and is related to a noun or a pronoun already mentioned or understood."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 56)
Independent Clause: "When removed from it's sentence, an independent clause makes complete sense. Written with a capital at the beginning and a period at the end, it becomes a simple sentence. It is an independent clause only when combined in a larger sentence with one or more additional clauses, independent or subordinate."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 53)
Elliptical [Incomplete] Clause: "Sometimes in our writing and speaking we do not complete the adverb clauses we use.
EXAMPLES: I am stronger than you [are].
While [I was] waiting for the dentist, I read a magazine.
In these adverb clauses the part of the clause given in brackets has been omitted. The missing part, however, could be readily supplied. such incomplete clauses are said to be "elliptical"."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 64)
(1) (Independent Elliptical Clause)
"Woe [is] unto him"
(Word in brackets added for grammatic clarity. SEE: "Elliptical [Incomplete] Clause")
Subordinate Clause: "Subordinate clauses which cannot stand alone as sentences, are used as nouns or modifiers in the same way as single words and phrases. A subordinate clause is always combined in some way with an independent clause...Like a phrase, a subordinate clause acts as a single part of speech--as an adjective or an adverb or a noun."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, pgs. 53,54,55)
Relative Clause: "A relative clause gives more information about a noun or modifies it, as in the following example: The man who bought our house has just won the lottery. Relative clauses contain relative adverbs or pronouns, which do not need to be overt..."
( The Internet Grammar of English )
(2) (Subordinate Relative Clause)
"that giveth his neighbour drink,
(3) (Subordinate Compound Relative Clause)
"that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also,"
(One subject, two verbs.)
Adverb Clause: "An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that, like an adverb, modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb....one of the typical adverbial functions of telling how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what conditions."
(Warriner's "English Grammar and Composition" © 1965, p. 62)
(4) (Subordinate Adverb Clause)
"that thou mayest look on their nakedness!"
I have no idea why someone would try to make something out of this word, it simply indicates "in addition" or "as well" or "in like manner" or "likewise". However, I have learned that some people will grasp at any straw(man) in order to make it appear that they have a case.
This is a moot subject and has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject at hand. These quotations are only included for reference, and to show the silliness of that train of thought...whatever it might be.
"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 Isaiah 51:17, Obadiah 1:16). An appropriate image of Babylon, which at last fell during a drunken revel (Daniel 5:1-31)."
(Jamieson, Fausset, Brown,
"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible", Habakkuk
2:15 )
"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. "
("Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible", Habakkuk
2:15 )
"...But here are two articles more, of a different nature, which carry a woe to all those in general to whom they belong, and particularly to the Babylonian monarchs, by whom the people of God were taken and held captives. I. The promoters of drunkenness stand here impeached and condemned. Belshazzar was one of those; he was so, remarkably that very night that the prophecy of this chapter was fulfilled in the period of his life and kingdom, when he drank wine before a thousand of his lords (Dan. 5:1), began the healths, and forced them to pledge him. And perhaps it was one reason why the succeeding monarchs of Persia made it a law of their kingdom that in drinking none should compel, but they should do according to every man�s pleasure (as we find, Esth. 1:8), because they had seen in the kings of Babylon the mischievous consequences of forcing healths and making people drunk. But the woe here stands firm and very fearful against all those, whoever they are, who are guilty of this sin at any time, and in any place, from the stately palace (where that was) to the paltry ale-house. Observe, 1. Who the sinner is that is here articled against; it is he that makes his neighbour drunk, v. 15. To give a neighbour drink who is in want, who is thirsty and poor, though it be but a cup of cold water to a disciple, in the name of a disciple, to give drink to weary traveller, nay, and to give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that are heavy of heart, is a piece of charity which is required of us, and shall be recompensed to us. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. But to give a neighbour drink who has enough already, and more than enough, with design to intoxicate him, that he may expose himself, may talk foolishly, and make himself ridiculous, may disclose his own secret concerns, or be drawn in to agree to a bad bargain for himself�this is abominable wickedness; and those who are guilty of it, who make a practice of it, and take a pride and pleasure in it, are rebels against God in heaven, and his sacred laws, factors for the devil in hell, and his cursed interests, and enemies to men on earth, and their honour and welfare; they are like the son of Nebat, who sinned and made Israel to sin. To entice others to drunkenness, to put the bottle to them, that they may be allured to it by its charms, by looking on the wine when it is red and gives its colour in the cup, or to force them to it, obliging them by the rules of the club (and club-laws indeed they are) to drink so many glasses, and so filled, is to do what we can, and perhaps more than we know of, towards the murder both of soul and body; and those that do so have a great deal to answer for..."
("Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible", Habakkuk
2:15 )