Isaiah 15:2They have gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. Baldness is on all of their heads. Every beard is cut off.
The setting
Moabite cities (modern Jordan), ~740 BC. Survivors climb to their ancient worship sites on hills, performing traditional mourning rituals by shaving heads and beards...
The emotion here: documenting foreign grief with prophetic compassion
The original word
qorchah (קָרְחָה) — ritual baldness, shaving the head as extreme mourning practice
Why it matters
Shaving heads and beards was forbidden to Israelites but common mourning practice among Moabites
Read with care
What most readers miss in Isaiah 15:2
These are the same high places where Moabites worshiped their gods—now they're crying to those gods for help
Common misconceptionChristians often judge other cultures' mourning practices as pagan, but Isaiah records these details with sympathy, showing God notices and cares about all human suffering.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Isaiah 15:2
Bible Genome reading
Isaiah 15:2 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Isaiah 15:2 comes from the book of Isaiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Isaiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include mourning rituals, cultural grief. Notable phrases: high places to weep; baldness is on all heads. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Isaiah 15:2 mean to you, today?
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