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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 15:1–5. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The country of Moab was of small extent, but very fruitful. It bordered upon the lot of Reuben on the other side Jordan and upon the Dead Sea. Naomi went to sojourn there when there was a famine in Canaan. This is the country which (it is here foretold) should be wasted and grievously harassed, not quite ruined, for we find another prophecy of its ruin (Jer. 48), which was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar. This prophecy here was to be fulfilled within three years (Isa 16:14), and therefore was fulfilled in the devastations made of that country by the army of the Assyrians, which for many years ravaged those parts, enriching themselves with spoil and plunder. It was done either by the army of Shalmaneser, about the time of the taking of Samaria, in the fourth year of Hezekiah (as is most probable), or by the army of Sennacherib, which, ten years after, invaded Judah. We cannot suppose that the prophet went among the Moabites to preach to them this sermon; but he delivered it to his own people, 1. To show them that, though judgment begins at the house of God, it shall not end there, - that there is a providence which governs the world and all the nations of it, - and that to the God of Israel the worshippers of false gods were accountable, and liable to his judgments. 2. To give them a proof of God's care of them and jealousy for them, and to convince them that God was an enemy to their enemies, for such the Moabites had often been. 3. That the accomplishment of this prophecy now shortly (within three years) might be a confirmation of the prophet's mission and of the truth of all his other prophecies, and might encourage the faithful to depend upon them.
Now concerning Moab it is here foretold,
I.That their chief cities should be surprised and taken in a night by the enemy, probably because the inhabitants, as the men of Laish, indulged themselves in ease and luxury, and dwelt securely (Isa 15:1): Therefore there shall be great grief, because in the night Air of Moab is laid waste and Kir of Moab, the two principal cities of that kingdom. In the night that they were taken, or sacked, Moab was cut off. The seizing of them laid the whole country open, and made all the wealth of it an easy prey to the victorious army. Note,
1.Great changes and very dismal ones may be made in a very little time. Here are two cities lost in a night, though that is the time of quietness. Let us therefore lie down as those that know not what a night may bring forth.
2.As the country feeds the cities, so the cities protect the country, and neither can say to the other, I have no need of thee.
II.That the Moabites, being hereby put into the utmost consternation imaginable, should have recourse to their idols for relief, and pour out their tears before them (Isa 15:2): He (that is, Moab, especially the king of Moab) has gone up to Bajith (or rather to the house or temple of Chemosh), and Dibon, the inhabitants of Dibon, have gone up to the high places, where they worshipped their idols, there to make their complaints. Note, It becomes a people in distress to seek to their God; and shall not we then thus walk in the name of the Lord our God, and call upon him in the time of trouble, before whom we shall not shed such useless profitless tears as they did before their gods?
III.That there should be the voice of universal grief all the country over.
It is described here elegantly and very affectingly. Moab shall be a vale of tears - a little map of this world, Isa 15:2. The Moabites shall lament the loss of Nebo and Medeba, two considerable cities, which, it is likely, were plundered and burnt. They shall tear their hair for grief to such a degree that on all their heads shall be baldness, and they shall cut off their beards, according to the customary expressions of mourning in those times and countries. When they go abroad they shall be so far from coveting to appear handsome that in the streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth (Isa 15:3), and perhaps being forced to use that poor clothing, the enemy having stripped them, and rifled their houses, and left them no other clothing. When they come home, instead of applying themselves to their business, they shall go up to the tops of their houses which were flat-roofed, and there they shall weep abundantly, nay, they shall howl, in crying to their gods. Those that cry not to God with their hearts do but howl upon their beds, Hos 7:14; Amo 8:3. They shall come down with weeping (so the margin reads it); they shall come down from their high places and the tops of their houses weeping as much as they did when they went up. Prayer to the true God is heart's ease (Sa1 1:18), but prayers to false gods are not. Divers places are here named that should be full of lamentation (Isa 15:4), and it is but a poor relief to have so many fellow-sufferers, fellow-mourners; to a public spirit it is rather an aggravation socios habuisse doloris - to have associates in woe.
IV.That the courage of their militia should fail them.
Though they were bred soldiers, and were well armed, yet they shall cry out and shriek for fear, and every one of them shall have his life become grievous to him, though it is characteristic of a military life to delight in danger, Isa 15:4. See how easily God can dispirit the stoutest of men, and deprive a nation of benefit by those whom it most depended upon for strength and defence. The Moabites shall generally be so overwhelmed with grief that life itself shall be a burden to them. God can easily make weary of life those that are fondest of it.
V.That the outcry for these calamities should propagate grief to all the adjacent parts, Isa 15:5.
1.The prophet himself has very sensible impressions made upon his spirit by the prediction of it: "My heart shall cry out for Moab; though they are enemies to Israel, they are our fellow-creatures, of the same rank with us, and therefore it should grieve us to see them in such distress, the rather because we know not how soon it may be our own turn to drink of the same cup of trembling." Note, It becomes God's ministers to be of a tender spirit, not to desire the woeful day, but to be like their master, who wept over Jerusalem even when he gave her up to ruin, like their God, who desires not the death of sinners.
2.All the neighbouring cities shall echo to the lamentations of Moab. The fugitives, who are making the best of their way to shift for their own safety, shall carry the cry to Zoar, the city to which their ancestor Lot fled for shelter from Sodom's flames and which was spared for his sake. They shall make as great a noise with their cry as a heifer of three years old does when she goes lowing for her calf, as Sa1 6:12. They shall go up the hill of Luhith (as David went up the ascent of Mount Olivet, many a weary step and all in tears, Sa2 15:30), and in the way of Horonaim (a dual termination), the way that leads to the two Beth-horons, the upper and the nether, which we read of, Jos 16:3, Jos 16:5. Thither the cry shall be carried, there it shall be raised, even at that great distance: A cry of destruction; that shall be the cry, like, "Fire, fire! we are all undone." Grief is catching, so is fear, and justly, for trouble is spreading and when it begins who knows where it will end?
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
(Ver. 2.) The house ascends, and Dimon goes up to the high places to mourn. LXX: Be sad for yourselves, for Dimon will perish, where the altar is; there you shall go up to lament. The whole house of adversarial wisdom, and Dibon, which means their downfall, ascends to the high places, where it had pridefully exalted itself: not to offer sacrifices, but to mourn for the sins it had committed before. And truly, falsehood passes like a river, and flows by, and can never stay in a stable dwelling. But the word of God, which is compacted, is stable. And so the manna, which appears like ice upon the face of the earth, does not overflow, but remains. Furthermore, according to the Septuagint, the Moabites are commanded to mourn and lament, not for others, for this is the privilege of the perfected ones over themselves, because even their Dibon, that is, their composed word, which flowed like a torrent, will perish: in which they had as it were an altar of their consecration, and all secular riches. And in the psalm it is said: If riches abound, do not set your heart upon them. But the beginning of salvation is to understand one's own sins and to weep over them.
(Vers. 2.) The house ascends, and Dibon ascends to the heights in lamentation over Nabo, and over Medaba Moab will howl. Do not be troubled that I am proceeding along the path of history, for you yourself desired that I do so. It is understood, however, that the royal house and the city of Dibon ascend to the idols that are placed on the heights: over Nabo and over Medaba, distinguished cities, the entire province will wail. For in Nabo there was consecrated the idol Chamos, which is called by another name Beelphegor.
In all its chapters, there is baldness; every beard will be shaved off. Among the ancients, the shaving of the beard and head was a sign of mourning. By these things, therefore, the magnitude of sorrow is shown, with Jeremiah proclaiming against Moab: Every head is bald, and every beard is shaved off, and there is binding of the hands on every side, and sackcloth on every back (Jeremiah 48:37).
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Summary
Isaiah 15:2, nestled within a prophetic oracle against Moab, powerfully depicts the widespread and profound lamentation that will engulf the nation as a consequence of divine judgment. It portrays the Moabite people ascending to their prominent cities and cultic high places, not in worship or celebration, but in desperate public displays of grief, marked by ritualistic acts of sorrow such as weeping, howling, shaving heads, and cutting beards, thereby underscoring the depth of their despair and the utter futility of their reliance on pagan deities in their hour of crisis.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is an integral part of the "Burden of Moab" (Isaiah 15-16), a prophetic oracle that meticulously details the impending destruction and desolation of the Moabite kingdom. Chapter 15 specifically focuses on the immediate and devastating impact of this calamity, describing the swiftness and totality of the devastation across various Moabite cities and regions. The preceding verse, Isaiah 15:1, sets a grim tone by declaring, "in a night Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence," immediately establishing the context for the intense mourning described in verse 2. The subsequent verses continue to elaborate on the widespread sorrow, flight of inhabitants, and the cries of distress emanating from other cities, collectively painting a comprehensive and harrowing picture of national collapse and despair.
Historical & Cultural Context
Moab was an ancient nation situated on the plateau east of the Dead Sea, frequently engaged in conflict with Israel. This prophecy most likely refers to an invasion by a powerful foreign entity, predominantly understood to be the Assyrians, who were the dominant imperial force in the Near East during Isaiah's prophetic ministry in the 8th century BCE. The mention of specific cities like Bajith, Dibon, Nebo, and Medeba highlights the geographical breadth of the disaster, indicating that key religious centers and urban hubs would be affected. The "high places" (Hebrew: bamot) were elevated sites commonly used for worship, often associated with pagan deities like Chemosh, the national god of Moab. The acts of shaving heads and cutting beards were extreme, public expressions of grief, humiliation, and national devastation in the ancient Near East, typically observed during mourning for the dead or in response to national calamity. These practices were often forbidden to Israelites due to their association with pagan rituals (e.g., Deuteronomy 14:1), further emphasizing the depth of Moab's despair and their reliance on non-Yahwistic customs.
Key Themes
Isaiah 15:2 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent within Isaiah and the broader prophetic literature. It starkly underscores the Sovereignty of God over all nations, demonstrating His unwavering justice even against those outside the covenant people of Israel. The intense imagery of "weeping" and "howling" highlights the theme of Profound Lament and Despair in the face of overwhelming calamity, showcasing the universal human response to utter loss and the breaking of national pride. Furthermore, the Moabites' desperate ascent to their "high places" in their distress, only to find no deliverance, profoundly emphasizes the Futility of Idolatry and the ultimate emptiness of reliance on false gods. This serves as a stark contrast to the true refuge and salvation found exclusively in the Lord, a consistent and central theme presented throughout the entire book of Isaiah.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, derived from the Hebrew word for "house" or "temple" (H1006), is used here as a specific place name in Moab. Its inclusion alongside Dibon and other cities suggests it was a significant, possibly religious or administrative, center to which the Moabites would flee or gather in their distress. The act of "going up" to Bajith implies a desperate pilgrimage or ascent, likely to a high place or temple, in a futile attempt to seek solace or deliverance from their deities.
From the primitive root (H3213), this word denotes a deep, mournful wailing or a loud, boisterous yell. It conveys an intense, unrestrained, and public expression of anguish and despair, far exceeding mere sadness. The prophecy indicates that Moab's lament will be audible, pervasive, and a visceral reflection of the utter collapse of their national well-being and the profound depth of their suffering.
Derived from a root meaning "to be bald" (H7144), this term refers to the act of shaving the head as a ritualistic and extreme sign of mourning, humiliation, and defilement. Coupled with the cutting off of beards, this imagery depicts a complete abandonment of dignity and a profound state of national grief, signifying utter despair and the loss of all honor and status in the face of overwhelming catastrophe.
Verse Breakdown
"He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep:"
This opening clause vividly describes the immediate and collective reaction of the Moabite populace. The pronoun "He" functions as a collective singular, representing the entire people of Moab. They are depicted ascending to their prominent cities and cultic "high places"—elevated sites often associated with pagan worship—not for celebration or sacrifice, but explicitly "to weep." This indicates a desperate outpouring of sorrow in locations traditionally associated with seeking divine intervention, though here it will prove utterly in vain.
"Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba:"
The prophecy continues by specifying the widespread nature and intensity of the lamentation. "Moab" here refers to the nation as a whole, personified in its collective anguish. They will "howl"—an even more intense and unrestrained expression of grief than mere weeping—over Nebo and Medeba, two other significant Moabite cities or regions. This reinforces the grim reality that no part of the land will be spared from the overwhelming sorrow and national humiliation.
"on all their heads [shall be] baldness, [and] every beard cut off."
This final clause provides a vivid portrayal of the ritualistic and public display of extreme mourning. Shaving the head (resulting in "baldness") and cutting off the beard were ancient Near Eastern customs signifying profound grief, humiliation, and often, a state of defilement or utter loss of honor. The phrases "on all their heads" and "every beard" emphasize the universality of this despair, indicating that the calamity will affect everyone, from the highest to the lowest, leaving no one untouched by the national tragedy.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 15:2 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey the overwhelming intensity of Moab's impending suffering. The most prominent is Personification, where the nation of Moab is depicted as an individual who "shall howl" over its cities, imbuing an entire people with human emotion and action, making the despair more relatable and visceral. Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "on all their heads [shall be] baldness, [and] every beard cut off," suggesting a universal, almost exaggerated, adoption of mourning rites to emphasize the totality and inescapable nature of the despair. The verse also relies heavily on Imagery, creating a vivid mental picture of public lamentation, with people ascending to high places, crying out, and physically disfiguring themselves in grief. This sensory detail immerses the reader in the scene of devastation. Finally, the entire passage functions as a Prophetic Oracle, a divine pronouncement of judgment, underscoring the certainty and inevitability of Moab's fate as decreed by the sovereign God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 15:2 serves as a powerful testament to God's ultimate sovereignty over all nations, demonstrating that His justice extends beyond Israel to encompass the entire world. The intense mourning of Moab, marked by futile appeals to their high places and pagan deities, underscores the profound theological truth that reliance on anything other than the one true God inevitably leads to despair and destruction. This prophecy highlights the futility of idolatry and the devastating consequences of national rebellion against divine righteousness. It also foreshadows a broader biblical theme: while judgment is severe, God's ultimate purpose is often redemptive, even for enemy nations, though this specific oracle focuses on the immediate devastation and serves as a stark warning.
Reflection and Application
The vivid depiction of Moab's despair in Isaiah 15:2 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It serves as a stark reminder that all human endeavors, nations, and self-constructed securities are ultimately fragile and entirely subject to the sovereign will of God. When we place our ultimate hope, trust, or identity in anything other than the Lord—be it wealth, power, status, human institutions, or even our own abilities—we are building on shifting sand. The Moabites' desperate, yet futile, ascent to their "high places" to weep powerfully illustrates the emptiness of seeking solace or salvation from sources that cannot truly deliver. This passage calls us to a deep self-examination, urging us to discern where our ultimate hope and security genuinely lie. It challenges us to turn from any form of "idolatry" that might subtly creep into our lives and to place our unwavering trust in the living God alone. Moreover, it serves as a sobering reminder of the reality of consequences for rebellion against God, prompting humility, repentance, and a profound reverence for His justice and omnipotence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were shaving heads and cutting beards signs of mourning?
In the ancient Near East, hair and beards were potent symbols of honor, strength, dignity, and vitality for men. Therefore, ritually shaving the head (leading to "baldness") and cutting off the beard were extreme, public acts of self-abasement and lamentation. These actions signified profound grief, humiliation, and utter despair, often in response to death, national calamity, or deep shame. They were a visible manifestation of a person's or nation's complete loss, defilement, and the stripping away of their dignity. While common in pagan mourning rites, such extreme practices were often forbidden to Israelites, particularly priests, because of their association with paganism or defilement (e.g., Leviticus 21:5).
What is the significance of the "high places" in this verse?
"High places" (Hebrew: bamot) were elevated sites, often natural hills or artificially constructed mounds, used for religious worship in the ancient world. While some were used for the worship of Yahweh, many, especially among surrounding nations like Moab, were dedicated to pagan deities such as Chemosh, the national god of Moab. In Isaiah 15:2, the Moabites are depicted going up to these high places to weep. This action signifies that in their moment of national crisis and overwhelming distress, they desperately turned to their traditional gods for help and solace. The prophecy, however, profoundly implies the futility of this action, as their pagan deities would be utterly unable to deliver them from the impending divine judgment.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Isaiah 15:2 describes the temporal judgment upon Moab and their futile lamentation, it profoundly foreshadows the ultimate human condition apart from Christ and points to Him as the true source of hope and deliverance. The "high places" to which Moab ascends in despair represent humanity's desperate and ultimately vain attempts to find solace or salvation through self-effort, false gods, or worldly systems. All such endeavors ultimately lead to "baldness" and "cut beards"—symbols of utter humiliation, loss, and the stripping away of dignity in the face of divine judgment. However, the New Testament reveals that humanity's deepest need for deliverance from sin and its eternal consequences is met not by ascending to high places of pagan worship or human achievement, but by the gracious descent of God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the true "high place" of worship, the one mediator through whom we can approach God with confidence (Hebrews 4:14-16). The "howling" and "weeping" of Moab find their ultimate echo in the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" that awaits those who reject God's salvation and remain outside of Christ (as vividly described in Matthew 8:12). Yet, Christ Himself bore the ultimate lament and suffering on the cross, becoming the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), so that those who believe in Him might never experience such despair but find true comfort, eternal life, and a hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:5). Thus, the judgment on Moab serves as a stark background against which the glorious and redemptive work of Christ shines even brighter, offering genuine solace, lasting peace, and eternal deliverance where all other sources utterly fail.