Isaiah 15 2

Isaiah 15:2 kjv

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.

Isaiah 15:2 nkjv

He has gone up to the temple and Dibon, To the high places to weep. Moab will wail over Nebo and over Medeba; On all their heads will be baldness, And every beard cut off.

Isaiah 15:2 niv

Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved and every beard cut off.

Isaiah 15:2 esv

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;

Isaiah 15:2 nlt

Your people will go to their temple in Dibon to mourn.
They will go to their sacred shrines to weep.
They will wail for the fate of Nebo and Medeba,
shaving their heads in sorrow and cutting off their beards.

Isaiah 15 verses

Isaiah 15 2 meaning

This verse powerfully depicts the widespread national lamentation within Moab due to an impending or ongoing devastation. The people from key regions and cities, such as Bajith and Dibon, are seen ascending to their cultic "high places" not for worship in prosperity, but to engage in fervent weeping and lamentation. This deep anguish extends across the land, as Moab's inhabitants express collective grief over the fall or devastation of significant cities like Nebo and Medeba. Their extreme sorrow is publicly manifested through visible rituals of mourning: the shaving of heads and the cutting off of every beard, symbolizing profound humiliation, sorrow, and perhaps even ritualistic despair in the face of national calamity.

Isaiah 15 2 Context

Isaiah 15:2 is part of a larger prophetic oracle or "burden" against Moab, found in chapters 15 and 16. This section is distinct from prophecies against Israel and Judah, focusing entirely on the lamentable destruction and desolation destined for Moab, a nation located east of the Dead Sea and a traditional enemy of Israel. Historically, Moab descended from Lot (Genesis 19:37) and was known for its pride (Isaiah 16:6), idolatry, and consistent antagonism toward Israel. The specific judgment described in these chapters likely refers to an invasion by a powerful foreign entity, such as Assyria under Tiglath-Pileser III or Sargon II, or possibly even Babylon. The chapter immediately preceding (Isaiah 14) concludes a prophecy against Babylon, transitioning to the judgment of Philistia, and then Moab. This verse sets a tone of deep mourning and national collapse, vividly portraying the Moabites' despair as they turn to their customary (pagan) high places in utter futility and express grief through drastic physical signs of mourning.

Isaiah 15 2 Word analysis

• He is gone up (עָלָה, ʿālāh): The Hebrew verb "ʿālāh" means "to go up," "ascend." While KJV translates it as "he," the subject in Hebrew is implicitly the people/inhabitants (feminine singular, often interpreted as collective "Moab" or "daughter of Moab"), indicating a mass movement. This ascent implies a journey to high places, often cultic sites, but here to mourn.
• Bajith (בַּיִת, bayit): Literally "house" or "temple." This is likely not a specific geographical city name but refers to a significant house of worship or a local sanctuary, possibly referring to Beth-Baal-Meon or similar cultic centers where Moabites would go to seek help from their gods or to lament.
• Dibon (דִּיבֹן, dîḇōn): A significant city in Moabite territory (Numbers 21:30), prominently mentioned on the Mesha Stele, indicating its importance. The act of its people going up underscores the widespread nature of the lament.
• High places (בָּמוֹת, bāmōt): Plural of bamah. These were elevated sites, either natural or artificial, commonly used for pagan religious rituals, including worship, sacrifice, and here, apparently, for national lamentation in times of crisis. These sites were focal points for Moabite idolatry.
• To weep (בֶּכִי, bekhî): The noun derived from the verb "to weep," indicating intense sorrow, crying, or lamentation. It signifies deep emotional distress and grief.
• Moab (מוֹאָב, Môʾāḇ): The nation itself, descendant of Lot, the target of this divine judgment. This identifies the primary subject experiencing the tribulation.
• Howl (יְיֵלִיל, yeyēlîl): From the verb "yalal," meaning to "howl" or "wail." It denotes a loud, mournful cry, characteristic of intense public grief and mourning for the dead or in calamity, often for extended periods.
• Nebo (נְבוֹ, Nəḇô): Both a mountain (where Moses saw the Promised Land, Deuteronomy 34:1) and a prominent Moabite city. It was also associated with the god Nabu, thus a significant cultic and strategic location for Moab.
• Medeba (מֵדְבָא, mēḏəḇāʾ): An important Moabite city and plateau (Numbers 21:30), often mentioned in conjunction with Dibon and Heshbon. Its inclusion emphasizes the broad geographical scope of Moab's distress.
• On all their heads shall be baldness (קָרְחָה כָּל־רֹאשׁ, qārhāh kol-rōʾš): "Baldness" (qārhāh) signifies the act of shaving or plucking out hair from the head. This was a severe sign of mourning and humiliation in the ancient Near East, often forbidden to Israelites (Leviticus 21:5) due to its association with pagan customs. It speaks of utter despair and defilement.
• And every beard cut off (וְכָל־זָקָן גְּרֻעָה, wəḵol-zāqān gəruʿāh): The beard was a symbol of honor and masculinity in the ancient world. "Cut off" (gəruʿāh) means to pull out, clip, or shave. This action signified deep humiliation, abject sorrow, and profound shame, again a ritual forbidden for Israelite priests (Leviticus 21:5).

• He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep: This phrase group captures the initial reaction of the Moabite populace. It describes a desperate pilgrimage to their traditional sites of worship or public assembly, but not for joyful celebration or successful supplication. Instead, their ascent to these high places is specifically "to weep," indicating a fruitless turning to false gods and a stark manifestation of national grief in a sacred but now lamentable context.
• Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: This shifts from the act of ascending to a specific expression of mourning directed at vital centers. "Howling" suggests an unrestrained, agonizing cry. Naming Nebo and Medeba, significant cities and regions, universalizes the calamity and mourning across the Moabite landscape. The sorrow is not isolated but shared by the entire nation, focusing on losses in key territories.
• on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off: These two actions form a powerful unit describing the visible and ritualistic signs of ultimate grief and humiliation. The universality implied by "all their heads" and "every beard" emphasizes that no one is spared from this profound sorrow and shame. These acts were not merely cultural customs; for Moab, they also signified defilement and utter national despondency, echoing pagan mourning rituals forbidden to God's covenant people.

Isaiah 15 2 Bonus section

The "he" in the KJV translation (Isaiah 15:2) from the Hebrew ' היא ' (hi, she/it) is more accurately understood as a collective singular referring to "Moab" or the "daughter of Moab," emphasizing the personification of the nation experiencing distress. Many modern translations render this as "they," accurately reflecting the communal action described. The vivid imagery in this verse not only highlights Moab's pain but also demonstrates God's sovereignty over all nations. He uses instruments (like Assyria or Babylon) to execute His judgment even upon peoples outside of direct covenant with Israel, ultimately revealing His righteousness and power over the world. The lament described for Moab resonates with other prophecies concerning Gentile nations, indicating a pattern of divine judgment against national pride, idolatry, and enmity towards His people.

Isaiah 15 2 Commentary

Isaiah 15:2 serves as a poignant illustration of national distress under divine judgment, encapsulating both the outward manifestations of sorrow and the underlying futility of seeking solace in pagan rituals. The description of Moabites ascending to "high places" and going to Bajith and Dibon to "weep" paints a picture of a populace overwhelmed by despair, resorting to customary, albeit false, religious centers for comfort or to express their profound grief. Their intense, guttural "howling" over cities like Nebo and Medeba signals not only specific urban destruction but a collective cry of national identity fractured and pride brought low. The most striking elements are the symbolic acts of baldness and clipped beards—rituals forbidden to Israel but common among surrounding nations in extreme mourning—which underscore total humiliation, intense personal and communal suffering, and the stripping away of dignity. The verse establishes the tone for the entire oracle against Moab, emphasizing the inescapable nature of God's judgment and the devastating consequences of national idolatry and antagonism towards His people.