He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage reveals that the extreme devastation described isn't just about cities falling, but about the people's panicked flight to their sacred places and temples, hoping to find solace or intervention from their gods. The intense physical signs of mourning – baldness and shaved beards – underscore not just grief, but a profound spiritual crisis and despair in the face of disaster.
He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The chapter opens with a lament for Moab, detailing the devastation of its cities. This verse describes the desperate response of the Moabites as they flee their ruined homes, heading to religious sites like "the temple" (possibly a temple of their god Chemosh) and Dibon to weep and seek divine help. They wail over the destruction of their prominent cities, Nebo and Medeba, resorting to extreme signs of mourning like shaving their heads and beards.
When disaster strikes, where do people turn? For the Moabites, it wasn't to a God of mercy, but to their gods, in a desperate, visible display of grief.
The text describes the Moabites going "up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep." This isn't just a casual journey; it's a pilgrimage to their religious centers.
The 'House' of Worship
'Bajith' is often translated as 'house' or 'temple.' This likely refers to a significant place of worship, possibly dedicated to their chief god, Chemosh.
Seeking Solace in High Places
'Dibon' was an important Moabite city, and the "high places" were common sites for worship, often on elevated ground, closer to the heavens in their understanding.
A Wailing Ritual
The weeping wasn't silent prayer; it was a public, vocal expression of anguish. They went to these sacred sites to cry out to their gods, begging for intervention in their calamity.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, the way someone looked communicated volumes about their inner state. The Moabites' appearance screams devastation.
The description "on every head is baldness; every beard is shorn" paints a stark picture of extreme mourning.
Stripping Away Identity
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In many ancient cultures, the hair, especially the beard, was a source of pride and identity. To intentionally remove it was a profound act of self-abasement and sorrow.
A Public Declaration of Loss
This wasn't a private act; it was a public spectacle. By making themselves physically 'less,' they were declaring the magnitude of their loss and their utter despair.
A Contrast to God's People
While mourning rituals varied, God's people were sometimes warned against adopting certain pagan mourning practices, like making oneself bald (Leviticus 21:5), likely to distinguish them from surrounding idolatrous nations and to focus their grief on repentance and trust in Him.
Understand the original words
bamah · Hebrew Noun
A physical location set apart for religious practice, often used for idolatrous worship in the Old Testament, representing false devotion or rebellion against God's instruction for centralized worship in Jerusalem.
bakah · Hebrew Verb
A outward expression of intense grief, sorrow, or judgment; in Scripture, it is a common reaction to calamity, loss, or the weight of impending divine judgment.
qorchah · Hebrew Noun
A sign of mourning or humiliation. Shaving the head and beard was a cultural practice in the Ancient Near East that signaled deep shame, degradation, or intense mourning.
This prophecy unfolds against a backdrop of intense regional conflict and imperial expansion, particularly from the Assyrians. The detailed mention of cities like Dibon, Nebo, and Medeba, and the cultural practices of mourning like shaving the head and beard, anchor this prophecy in the tangible fear and devastation experienced by the Moabites facing imminent destruction.
c. 850 BC
Moabite Stone Commissioned
King Mesha of Moab erects a stone detailing his victories, including reclaiming territories from Israel and praising his god Chemosh. This stone provides valuable insight into Moabite history and geography.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Campaigns in the Region
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, expands its influence, often clashing with and subjugating smaller kingdoms in the Levant, including those east of the Jordan River.
Date uncertain, likely during reigns of Uzziah/Jotham or Ahaz (c. 760-730 BC)— this verse
Prophecy of Isaiah 15 Delivered
Isaiah delivers this prophecy concerning the impending doom of Moab, describing the wailing and destruction that will befall its cities and people.
733-732 BC
Tiglath-Pileser III Conquers Gilead and Moab
The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III conquers territories east of the Jordan, including areas historically claimed by Moab, leading to significant upheaval and displacement for the Moabites.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire destroys the Northern Kingdom of Israel, further destabilizing the region and increasing the threat to the remaining kingdoms, including Judah and Moab.
582 BC
Babylonian Destruction of Moab
After the fall of Jerusalem, Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar II likely campaign against and further devastate Moab, fulfilling prophecies of its destruction.
This passage echoes the same imagery of intense mourning for Moab, describing baldness and shorn beards as signs of their deep distress and loss.
Micah 1:16Micah also calls for the people to shave their heads and make themselves bald in mourning, linking this physical act to the grief over lost possessions and devastation.
Job 1:20In the face of immense personal tragedy, Job demonstrates profound grief by shaving his head and falling to the ground, mirroring the public acts of mourning described for Moab.
Leviticus 21:5This Levitical law explicitly forbids priests from making themselves bald or shaving the edges of their beards as signs of mourning, highlighting that such practices were common but to be avoided by Israel as they could be associated with pagan rituals.
barnesIsaiah 15:2: "He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off."
He is gone up - That is, the inhabitants of Moab in consternation have fled from their ruined cities, and have gone up to other places to weep. To Bajith, and to Dibon - Lowth supposes that these two words should be joined together, and that one place is denoted. The Chaldee renders it, 'Ascend into the houses…
cambridgeIsaiah 15:2: "He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off."
2 . (Cf. Jeremiah 48:37 ) He is gone up … to weep ] The sense of the clause is uncertain. If Bayith be a proper name the best rendering would be that of R.V. marg. Bayith and Dibon are gone up to the high-places to weep . But Bayith enters so frequently into compound place-names in this region ( Beth-Diblathaim…
This passage reveals that the extreme devastation described isn't just about cities falling, but about the people's panicked flight to their sacred places and temples, hoping to find solace or intervention from their gods. The intense physical signs of mourning – baldness and shaved beards – underscore not just grief, but a profound spiritual crisis and despair in the face of disaster.
The chapter opens with a lament for Moab, detailing the devastation of its cities. This verse describes the desperate response of the Moabites as they flee their ruined homes, heading to religious sites like "the temple" (possibly a temple of their god Chemosh) and Dibon to weep and seek divine help. They wail over the destruction of their prominent cities, Nebo and Medeba, resorting to extreme signs of mourning like shaving their heads and beards.
The chapter opens with a lament for Moab, detailing the devastation of its cities. This verse describes the desperate response of the Moabites as they flee their ruined homes, heading to religious sites like "the temple" (possibly a temple of their god Chemosh) and Dibon to weep and seek divine help. They wail over the destruction of their prominent cities, Nebo and Medeba, resorting to extreme signs of mourning like shaving their heads and beards.
"He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;" — This passage reveals that the extreme devastation described isn't just about cities falling, but about the people's panicked flight to their sacred places and temples, hoping to find solace or interv…
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Last reviewed October 2026