Isaiah 15:2-3
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; in the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the squares everyone wails and melts in tears.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The overwhelming grief of Moab is pictured not just in their weeping, but in the physical act of disfigurement—shaving their heads and beards—a profound cultural sign of utter devastation and loss, even impacting their identity. This isn't just sadness; it's a public, visible surrender to despair as they seek solace in their temples and sacred places.
The prophet describes the immediate, devastating aftermath of an invasion upon Moab, focusing on the people's profound grief and disorientation. As cities fall and their gods seem powerless, the Moabites flee to religious sites like "Bajith" (likely a temple) and Dibon, and ascend to sacred high places, weeping and lamenting their fate. Their despair is so deep that they shave their heads and beards, outward signs of immense sorrow and humiliation over the loss of key cities like Nebo and Medeba.
Why would people go to their temples in a time of crisis? Were they seeking comfort or something else entirely?
The prophet describes Moabites fleeing to 'Bajith' (likely a temple) and 'Dibon,' seeking refuge on 'high places.' While these were places of worship, the context here isn't about seeking divine favor. Instead, it's about the desperate actions of a people facing utter devastation.
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Imagine shaving your head and beard in public. What does such an extreme act reveal about the depth of their sorrow?
The verse culminates in graphic descriptions of mourning: 'on all their heads is baldness; every beard is shorn.' These weren't just casual displays of sadness; they were profound expressions of utter devastation and loss.
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.
saq · Hebrew Noun
A coarse fabric, typically made of goat hair, worn as a garment to signify profound mourning, repentance, or distress before God or due to national calamity.
This prophecy captures the immediate terror and devastation facing Moab from an external threat, likely the Assyrians, causing its people to flee and mourn at their religious sites and cities.
c. 850 BC
Mesha declares Moab's independence
King Mesha of Moab revolted against Israel, celebrating his independence with the Moabite Stone, which mentions several cities in Isaiah 15, including Dibon and Medeba.
c. 730s BC
Assyrian advance into the region
The Neo-Assyrian Empire expanded its influence westward, leading to political instability and conflict in the region that included Moab.
c. 715-700 BC
Assyrian campaigns and tribute demands
Assyrian kings like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II conducted campaigns that would have impacted Moab, demanding tribute and asserting dominance.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's campaign in the Levant
While focused on Judah, Sennacherib's Assyrian campaign would have been felt throughout the region, potentially affecting Moab's stability and resources.
c. 700-650 BC— this verse
Prophecy of Isaiah 15 delivered
Isaiah delivers this oracle, likely in response to the growing threat from Assyria and the resulting devastation and flight of Moabite people and leaders.
c. 600s BC
Babylonian dominance and destruction
Later, the Neo-Babylonian Empire would conquer the region, leading to further destruction and exile for many nations, including Moab.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah's description of Moab's grief, reinforcing the shared imagery of profound mourning through baldness and shorn beards.
Micah 1:16Micah uses the same visual of 'making yourselves bald' and 'shaving your heads' as a sign of distress, drawing a parallel to the deep sorrow experienced by cities facing destruction.
Job 1:20Job's profound grief over his losses is expressed by tearing his robe, shaving his head, and falling to the ground, showing how these physical acts symbolize overwhelming despair across different biblical contexts.
Deuteronomy 14:1This verse explicitly forbids the Israelites from cutting themselves or shaving their heads bald for the dead, highlighting that such extreme mourning practices were common among surrounding pagan nations like Moab.
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…
The overwhelming grief of Moab is pictured not just in their weeping, but in the physical act of disfigurement—shaving their heads and beards—a profound cultural sign of utter devastation and loss, even impacting their identity. This isn't just sadness; it's a public, visible surrender to despair as they seek solace in their temples and sacred places.
The prophet describes the immediate, devastating aftermath of an invasion upon Moab, focusing on the people's profound grief and disorientation. As cities fall and their gods seem powerless, the Moabites flee to religious sites like "Bajith" (likely a temple) and Dibon, and ascend to sacred high places, weeping and lamenting their fate. Their despair is so deep that they shave their heads and beards, outward signs of immense sorrow and humiliation over the loss of key cities like Nebo and Medeba.
The prophet describes the immediate, devastating aftermath of an invasion upon Moab, focusing on the people's profound grief and disorientation. As cities fall and their gods seem powerless, the Moabites flee to religious sites like "Bajith" (likely a temple) and Dibon, and ascend to sacred high places, weeping and lamenting their fate. Their despair is so deep that they shave their heads and beards, outward signs of immense sorrow and humiliation over the loss of key cities like Nebo and Medeba.
"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; in the streets they wear sackcloth; on t…" — The overwhelming grief of Moab is pictured not just in their weeping, but in the physical act of disfigurement—shaving their heads and beards—a profound cultural sign of utter devastation and loss, e…
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