Isaiah 65:11
“But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Those who abandon God and His holy place, worshipping other gods and spirits instead.
Context
The verse describes the religious choices of those who have turned away from the covenant. 'That troop' likely refers to demons or the hosts of false gods that were thought to inhabit certain locations or spiritual realms.
What Does Isaiah 65:11 Mean?
The word but marks a sharp turn: there are those who seek and will inherit, and there are those who forsake and will lose. They forget God's holy mountain—Zion, the place of God's dwelling, the symbol of His covenant presence. To forget it is not mere absent-mindedness but a deliberate turning away. They prepare a table for that troop—likely a reference to demons or foreign gods, the hosts of the spiritual darkness they have chosen to serve. The drink offering is poured not to the God of Israel but to this 'number,' this multitude of false powers.
This is idolatry stripped of its pretense. In earlier verses, the people claimed to be holy and self-righteous. Here, their true choice is revealed: they have chosen another god. The tragedy is not that they stumbled into sin but that they chose it knowingly, prepared tables with care, furnished offerings with deliberation. They invested their worship where it cannot save them. Christ will speak of the same darkness: you cannot serve two masters. One choice must be made.
In the Original Language
troop (גד, gad) -- a band or troop; some scholars suggest this refers to Gad, a Canaanite god of fortune, though the context suggests a broader reference to spiritual powers.
Application
Examine your allegiances. The tables you prepare and the offerings you furnish reveal who you truly serve.