John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night , etc.] The night is the usual season for sleep, and sleep is only for such who are in darkness, and are children of the night; and not proper to be indulged by such who are children of the day, and of the light: and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night ; drunkenness is a work of darkness, and therefore men given to excessive drinking love darkness rather than light, and choose the night for their purpose. To be drunk at noon is so shameful and scandalous, that men who love the sin, and indulge themselves in it, take the night season for it; and equally shameful it is, that enlightened persons should be inebriated, either with the cares of this life, or with an over weening opinion of themselves.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-11 - Most of mankind do not consider the things of another world at all because they are asleep; or they do not consider them aright, becaus they sleep and dream. Our moderation as to all earthly things should be known to all men. Shall Christians, who have the light of the blesse gospel shining in their faces, be careless about their souls, an unmindful of another world? We need the spiritual armour, or the thre Christian graces, faith, love, and hope. Faith; if we believe that the eye of God is always upon us, that there is another world to prepar for, we shall see reason to watch and be sober. True and fervent love to God, and the things of God, will keep us watchful and sober. If we have hope of salvation, let us take heed of any thing that would shak our trust in the Lord. We have ground on which to build unshaken hope when we consider, that salvation is by our Lord Jesus Christ, who die for us, to atone for our sins and to ransom our souls. We should joi in prayer and praise one with another. We should set a good example on before another, and this is the best means to answer the end of society. Thus we shall learn how to live to Him, with whom we hope to live for ever.
Greek Textus Receptus
οι 3588 T-NPM γαρ 1063 CONJ καθευδοντες 2518 5723 V-PAP-NPM νυκτος 3571 N-GSF καθευδουσιν 2518 5719 V-PAI-3P και 2532 CONJ οι 3588 T-NPM μεθυσκομενοι 3182 5746 V-PPP-NPM νυκτος 3571 N-GSF μεθυουσιν 3184 5719 V-PAI-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Be drunken (mequskomenoi). Lit. who are made drunk or get drunk. See on John ii. 10. In N.T. always of intoxication. In LXX, the Hebrews shekar strong drink is several times rendered by mequsma; Judg. xiii. 4, 7; 1 Sam. i. 11, 15.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:7 {They that be drunken are drunken in the night} (hoi mequskomenoi nuktos mequousin). No need of "be" here, they that are drunken. No real difference in meaning between mequskw and mequw, to be drunk, except that mequskw (inceptive verb in -sk") means to get drunk. {Night} (nuktos, genitive by night) is the favorite time for drunken revelries.
