John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 15:2

"They are gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep: Moab waileth over Nebo, and over Medeba; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is cut off." — Isaiah 15:2 (ASV)

He shall go up into the house. Regarding the words, some overlook the Hebrew noun בית, (bayith); but since it signifies a house and a temple, it is probable that it was the word commonly used for a temple, as in many other passages the house of God means the temple (Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 23:18; Joshua 9:23). By depicting the Moabites as bowing down before their idols, he simultaneously condemns their superstition in worshipping their idol Chemosh, as can be easily inferred from 1 Kings 11:7; Jeremiah 48:7; and Jeremiah 48:13. Isaiah says, “The Moabites will turn to their god when matters are so desperate, but to no avail, for they will find no assistance in him.”

And to Dibon to the high places. This makes it even more evident that he is speaking of the Temple. It is beyond doubt that the Moabites had a fortress, remarkable and celebrated above others, in which they had built high places in honor of their idol.

Being ignorant of the true God, to whom they could turn in adversity, we should not be surprised that they turn to an idol, in accordance with their usual custom. By doing this, they increased their misery and brought upon themselves an accumulation of all distresses, because they inflamed the wrath of God even more by the very means they thought were suitable for appeasing His wrath.

Therefore, he wished to state more plainly the condition of the ungodly, who have no refuge in adversity; for regarding those remedies they think will be suited to their afflictions, nothing can be more destructive to them, since they increasingly provoke the Lord’s indignation.

Moab shall howl over Nebo and over Medeba. Nebo was also one of the cities of the Moabites. The Prophet has already named two of them, Ar and Kir; he now adds a third, Nebo; and finally, he mentions a fourth, Medeba; as if he had said that this destruction would not only seize the extremities of that country but would also reach its innermost parts, so that not one corner would be exempt.

On every head. Every nation has its particular ceremonies to denote mourning or joy.

The Italians and other western nations allowed their hair and beards to grow when they were in mourning, and from this arose the phrase to lengthen the beard. On the other hand, the eastern nations shaved their heads and beards, which they considered ornamental; and when they reversed their usual custom, that was a token of mourning.

Therefore, nothing else is meant than that the condition of the whole kingdom will be so mournful that signs of joy will be set aside, and all will display tokens of grief and lamentation.