Isaiah Chapter 15 · Verse 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.
Original Language Analysis
עָלָ֨ה
He is gone up
H5927
עָלָ֨ה
He is gone up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
1 of 17
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
6 of 17
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
וְעַ֤ל
H5921
וְעַ֤ל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
8 of 17
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
מוֹאָ֣ב
Moab
H4124
מוֹאָ֣ב
Moab
Strong's:
H4124
Word #:
10 of 17
moab, an incestuous son of lot; also his territory and descendants
יְיֵלִ֔יל
shall howl
H3213
יְיֵלִ֔יל
shall howl
Strong's:
H3213
Word #:
11 of 17
to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one)
בְּכָל
H3605
בְּכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
12 of 17
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
רֹאשָׁ֣יו
on all their heads
H7218
רֹאשָׁ֣יו
on all their heads
Strong's:
H7218
Word #:
13 of 17
the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
15 of 17
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Jeremiah 48:1Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.Leviticus 21:5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.Isaiah 3:24And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.Jeremiah 48:18Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds.Deuteronomy 34:1And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,Numbers 21:30We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.
Historical Context
Nebo and Medeba were significant Moabite cities mentioned in the Mesha Stele. High places (bamot) served as outdoor worship sites throughout the region. Archaeological excavations at these sites reveal altars, standing stones, and cult objects. The Moabites worshiped Chemosh as their national deity (Numbers 21:29), engaging in practices including child sacrifice (2 Kings 3:27). Isaiah prophesied during a period when Assyrian military pressure forced vassal states into desperate political and religious responses.
Questions for Reflection
- Why do people instinctively turn to religion in crisis, yet often fail to find genuine help?
- How does Moab's futile weeping at false shrines illustrate the emptiness of idolatry?
- What distinguishes genuine repentance from mere crisis-driven religious activity?
Analysis & Commentary
The cascade of place-names (Bajith, Dibon, Nebo, Medeba) traces Moab's grief from temple to high places to cities. "Going up" to weep suggests both geographical movement to elevated worship sites and spiritual seeking in crisis—yet Moab seeks help at idolatrous shrines, not from the true God. The shaving of heads and cutting off of beards represents extreme mourning in Ancient Near Eastern culture, often forbidden to Israel (Leviticus 19:27-28) as it resembled pagan mourning rites. Moab's desperate grief reveals the inadequacy of false gods in genuine crisis. Reformed theology emphasizes that mankind instinctively seeks the transcendent in suffering, yet apart from revelation in Christ, these religious impulses lead to empty ritual rather than redemption.