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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 65:11–16. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here the different states of the godly and wicked, of the Jews that believed and of those that still persisted in unbelief, are set the one over - against the other, as life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse.
I.Here is the fearful doom of those that persisted in their idolatry after the deliverance out of Babylon, and in infidelity after the preaching of the gospel of Christ. Observe,
1.What the doom is that is here threatened: "I will number you to the sword as sheep for the slaughter, and there shall be no escaping, no standing out; you shall all bow down to it," Isa 65:12. God's judgments come,
(1.)Regularly, and are executed according to the commission. Those fall by the sword that are numbered or counted out to it, and none besides. Though the sword seems to devour promiscuously one as well as another, yet it is made to know its number and shall not exceed.
(2.)Irresistibly. The strongest and most stout-hearted sinners shall be forced to bow before them; for none ever hardened their hearts against God and prospered.
2.What the sins are that number them to the sword.
(1.)Idolatry was the ancient sin (Isa 65:11): "You are those who, instead of seeking me and serving me as my people, forsake the Lord, disown him, and cast him off to embrace other gods, who forget my holy mountain (the privileges it confers and the obligations it lays you under) to burn incense upon the mountains of your idols (Isa 65:7), and have deserted the one only living and true God." They prepared a table for that troop of deities which the heathen worship and poured out drink-offerings to that numberless number of them; for those that thought one God too little never thought scores and hundreds sufficient, but were still adding to the number of them, till they had as many gods as cities and their altars were as thick as heaps in the furrows of the field, Hos 12:11. Some take Gad and Meni, which we translate a troop and a number, to be the proper names of two of their idols, answering to Jupiter and Mercury. Whatever they were, their worshippers spared no cost to do them honour; they prepared a table for them, and filled out mixed wine for drink-offerings to them; they would pinch their families rather than stint their devotions, which should shame the worshippers of the true God out of their niggardliness.
(2.)Infidelity was the sin of the later Jews (Isa 65:12): When I called, you did not answer, which refers to the same that Isa 65:2 did (I have stretched out my hands to a rebellious people), and that is applied to those who rejected the gospel. Our Lord Jesus himself called (he stood and cried, Joh 7:37), but they did not hear, they would not answer; they were not convinced by his reasonings nor moved by his expostulations; both the fair warnings he gave them of death and ruin and the fair offers he made them of life and happiness were slighted and made no impression upon them. Yet this was not all: You did evil before my eyes, not by surprise, or through inadvertency, but with deliberation: You did choose that wherein I delighted not; he means that which he utterly detested and abhorred. It is not strange that those who will not be persuaded to choose that which is good persist in their choice and pursuit of that which is evil. See the malignity of sin; it is evil in God's eyes, highly offensive to him, and yet it is committed before his eyes, in his sight and presence, and in contempt of him; it is likewise a contradiction to the will of God; it is doing that, of choice, which we know will displease him.
II.The aggravation of this doom, from the consideration of the happy state of those that were brought to repentance and faith.
1.The blessedness of those that serve God, and the woeful condition of those that rebel against him, are here set the one over - against the other, that they may serve as a foil to each other, Isa 65:13-16.
(1.)God's servants may well think themselves happy, and for ever indebted to that free grace which made them so, when they see how miserable some of their neighbours are for want of that grace, who are hardened, and likely to perish for ever in unbelief, and what a narrow escape they had of being among them. See Isa 66:24.
(2.)It will add to the grief of those that perish to see the happiness of God's servants (whom they had hated, and vilified, and looked upon with the utmost disdain), and especially to think that they might have shared in their bliss if it had not been their own fault. It made the torment of the rich man in hell the more grievous that he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom, Luk 16:23. See Luk 13:28. Sometimes the providence of God makes such a difference as this between good and bad in this world, and the prosperity of the righteous becomes a grievous eye-sore and vexation of heart to the wicked (Psa 112:10), and it will certainly be so in the great day. We fools counted his life madness and his end without honour; but now how is he numbered with the saints and his lot is among the chosen. Now,
2.The difference of their states lies in two things: -
(1.)In point of comfort and satisfaction.
[1.]God's servants shall eat and drink; they shall have the bread of life to feed, to feast upon, continually, shall be abundantly replenished with the goodness of his house, and shall want nothing that is good for them. Heaven's happiness will be to them an everlasting feast; they shall be filled with that which now they hunger and thirst after. But those who set their hearts upon the world, and place their happiness in that, shall be hungry and thirsty, always empty, always craving; for it is not bread; it surfeits, but it satisfies not. In communion with God, and dependence upon him, there is full satisfaction; but in sinful pursuits there is nothing but disappointment.
[2.]God's servants shall rejoice and sing for joy of heart. They have constant cause for joy, and there is nothing that may be an occasion of grief to them but they have an allay sufficient for it; and, as far as faith is in act and exercise, they have a heart to rejoice, and their joy is their strength. They shall rejoice in their hope, because it shall not make them ashamed. Heaven will be a world of everlasting joy to all that are now sowing in tears. But, on the other hand, those that forsake the Lord shut themselves out from all true joy, for they shall be ashamed of their vain confidence in themselves, and their own righteousness, and the hopes they had built thereon. When the expectations of bliss wherewith they had flattered themselves are frustrated, O what confusion will fill their faces! Then shall they cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit, perhaps in this world, when their laughter shall be turned into mourning and their joy into heaviness, and certainly in that world where the torment will be endless, easeless, and remediless - nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, to eternity. Let these two be compared, Now he is comforted and thou art tormented, and which of the two will we choose to take our lot with?
(2.)In point of honour and reputation, Isa 65:15, Isa 65:16. The memory of the just is, and shall be, blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot.
[1.]The name of the idolaters and unbelievers shall be left for a curse, shall be loaded with ignominy and made for ever infamous. It shall be used in giving bad characters - Thou art as cruel as a Jew; and in imprecation - God make thee as miserable as a Jew. It shall be for a curse to God's chosen, that is, for a warning to them; they shall be afraid of falling under the curse upon the Jewish nation, of perishing after the same example of unbelief. The curse of those whom God rejects should make his chosen stand in awe. The Lord God shall slay thee; he shall quite extirpate the Jews and cut them off from being a people; they shall no longer live as a nation, nor ever be incorporated again.
[2.]The name of God's chosen shall become a blessing: He shall call his servants by another name. The children of the covenant shall no longer be called Jews, but Christians; and to them, under that name, all the promises and privileges of the new covenant shall be secured. This other name shall be an honourable name; it shall not be confined to one nation, but with it men shall bless themselves in the earth, all the world over. God shall have servants out of all nations who shall all be dignified with this new name. They shall bless themselves in the God of truth. First, They shall give honour to God both in their prayers and in their solemn oaths, in their addresses for his favour as their felicity and their appeals to his justice as their Judge. This is a part of the homage we owe to God; we must bless ourselves in him, that is, we must reckon that we have enough to make us happy, that we need no more, and can desire no more, if we have him for our God. It is of great consequence what we bless ourselves in, what we most please ourselves with and value ourselves by our interest in. Worldly people bless themselves in the abundance they have of this world's goods (Psa 49:18; Luk 12:19); but God's servants bless themselves in him, as a God all-sufficient for them. He is their crown of glory and diadem of beauty, their strength and portion. By him also they shall swear, and not by any creature or any false god. To his judgment they shall refer their cause, from whom every man's judgment doth proceed. Secondly, They shall give honour to him as the God of truth, the God of the Amen (so the word is); some understand it of Christ who is himself the Amen, the faithful witness (Rev 3:14), and in whom all the promises are yea and amen, Co2 1:20. In him we must bless ourselves, and by him we must swear unto the Lord and covenant with him. He that is blessed in the earth (so some read it) shall be blessed in the true God, for Christ is the true God and eternal life, Jo1 5:20. And it was promised of old that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed, Gen 12:3. Some read it, He shall bless himself in the God of the faithful people, in God as the God of all believers, desiring no more than to share in the blessings wherewith they are blessed, to be dealt with as he deals with them. Thirdly, They shall give him honour as the author of this blessed change which they have the experience of; they shall think themselves happy in having him for their God who has made them to forget their former troubles, the remembrance of them being swallowed up in their present comforts: Because they are hidden from God's eyes, that is, they are quite taken away; for, if there were any remainder of their troubles, God would be sure to have his eye upon it, in compassion to them and concern for them. They shall no longer feel them; for God will no longer see them. He is pleased to speak as if he would make himself easy by making them easy; and therefore they shall with a great deal of satisfaction bless themselves in him.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
If a person, because he is too tenacious of life or too weak in the face of suffering, or because of the apparently convincing arguments of such as seek to induce us to accept the evil choice, has denied the one and only God and his Christ and borne testimony to demons or goddesses of fortune, then this person must realize that in doing this he is “setting,” as it were, “a table for the demon and offering libations” to Fortune, “forsaking the Lord” and “forgetting his holy mount.” He will incur the reproaches written in Isaiah.
(Verse 11, 12.) And you who have forsaken the Lord, and have forgotten my holy mountain. You who set a table for fortune, and pour out libations upon it. I will number you for the sword, and you shall all fall in the slaughter. LXX: But you who have forsaken me, and have forgotten my holy mountain, and prepare a table for fortune, and fill a cup for the demon: I will deliver you to the sword; you shall all be killed. In the former wilderness and chaos. In the lands of the Gentiles there will be sheepfolds, that is, the Churches of all believers from the whole world. But you, O people of Israel, who have forsaken the Lord and have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, who have forgotten His holy mountain, of which we have frequently spoken, or the Lord Savior, who is the mountain of mountains, and all holy ones, or Mount Zion, and the heavenly city of the living God, Jerusalem, who do these things and these things, I will deliver you to the sword, so that you all may be killed together. If you ask what the sword is, we shall say later: You set out a table for Fortune, he says, and pour libations on it; or, according to the Seventy: You prepare a table for Fortune, and fill a cup for a demon, or κέρασμα, as all the translators similarly rendered it, that is, a mixed potion. Now, in all cities, especially in Egypt and Alexandria, there is an ancient custom of idolatry, that on the last day of the year and month, which is the last, they set out a table filled with various kinds of food, and a cup mixed with honeyed wine, either wishing for the fertility of the past year or that of the coming year. But the Israelites were doing this, venerating the monstrous images of all the idols at once, and not offering sacrifices on the altar, but pouring out this kind of offering on the table. And what the Seventy translated as 'Menni', in Hebrew it has 'absque me', which Symmachus interpreted to mean 'without me', so the sense is: 'The one who prepares a table for fortune, and fills the cup without me'; to teach that it is not done for oneself, but for the demon. And the sword with which they are killed is taken as a punishment. For not all the people of Israel were handed over by the sword, as we see how many thousands are scattered throughout the whole world; but by punishments and tortures, captivity and ultimate servitude, according to what is said elsewhere: 'All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,' and in the Song of Deuteronomy: 'I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh— the flesh of the slain.' (Deut. XXXII, 42). It is not credible that the arrows of the Lord could be drunk with blood, and that his sword could be satiated with the flesh of the wounded. About these arrows that Job speaks of, which pierce him every moment of the hour. The arrows of the Lord are in my body: their fury drinks up my spirit; for when I begin to speak, they prick me. (Job 6:4). According to the allegory, it must be said that all those who abandon the Church and forget the holy mountain of God, and give themselves over to the spirits of error and the teachings of demons, prepare a table for their fortune, believing that nothing pertains to God but that everything is governed by the course of the stars or the variety of fortune: these are the ones whom Paul reproaches, saying: You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons (1 Corinthians 10:20-21): because they will be handed over to eternal punishments, so that none of them can escape death and destruction.
We have frequently spoken of the Lord’s “holy mountain,” which the people of Israel are here said to forget, as either the Lord and Savior, who is the mountain of mountains and the saint of all saints, or as Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem, city of the living God. … According to the tropological sense, it must be said that all who desert the church and forget the holy mountain of God and deliver themselves to the spirits of error and to the teachings of demons thereby “prepare a table for Fortune,” believing that everything is governed either by the vagaries of fortune or by the course of the stars but nothing by God. Paul rebukes these people, saying, “You cannot share in the table of the Lord and in the table of demons.”
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Summary
Isaiah 65:11 delivers a stern divine rebuke against a segment of God's covenant people who had willfully abandoned their allegiance to the LORD, turning instead to pagan worship. This verse sharply contrasts the expected faithfulness of Israel with their profound spiritual apostasy, specifically condemning their participation in idolatrous rituals involving the preparation of a table and the offering of drink to the false deities of "Fortune" (Gad) and "Destiny" (Meni). It underscores the grave consequences of spiritual infidelity and the critical importance of undivided devotion to the one true God.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within the latter portion of the Book of Isaiah, often attributed to a post-exilic context, where the prophet addresses the community returning from Babylon. Chapter 65 specifically delineates a stark contrast between the faithful remnant of Israel—whom God promises to bless with a glorious future, including the creation of a "new heavens and a new earth"—and the rebellious, apostate elements within the nation. While the preceding verses detail God's gracious call and the blessings reserved for His obedient servants, verse 11 directly confronts those who have "forsaken the LORD," setting the stage for the divine judgment that follows in subsequent verses, thereby highlighting the profound spiritual divide within the community.
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Israel frequently succumbed to the pervasive influence of syncretism, adopting the religious practices and deities of surrounding Canaanite and Mesopotamian cultures, despite explicit prohibitions in the Mosaic Law. The worship of "that troop" (Gad) and "that number" (Meni) refers to specific pagan deities prevalent in the ancient Near East. Gad was a Syrian and Canaanite god of fortune or good luck, often invoked for prosperity. Meni was a deity of destiny or fate, believed to control an individual's future and lot in life. The rituals described—preparing a table and furnishing a drink offering—were common pagan practices involving communal meals and libations offered to idols, intended to secure favor, good fortune, or a positive destiny. These actions represented a direct and egregious violation of the foundational covenant commands, particularly the first commandment against having other gods before YHWH.
Key Themes
Several profound themes emerge from Isaiah 65:11. Firstly, Apostasy and Forgetfulness are central, highlighting a deliberate turning away from the covenant relationship with YHWH ("forsake the LORD") and a neglect of His dwelling place and true worship ("forget my holy mountain"). This spiritual amnesia signifies a rejection of God's authority and His unique claim on His people, echoing similar rebukes found in passages like Jeremiah 2:13. Secondly, Pagan Worship and Idolatry are explicitly detailed through the specific rituals, underscoring the spiritual adultery committed against God. These practices represent a profound betrayal of the covenant, replacing trust in the sovereign God with reliance on impersonal forces or false deities. Lastly, the verse implicitly points to Divine Jealousy and Judgment. While not explicitly stated in this verse, the strong condemnation implies God's righteous anger over His people's unfaithfulness, which inevitably leads to judgment, as seen throughout the prophetic literature and Israel's history, for instance, in Hosea 4:12-13.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies to loosen, relinquish, or abandon. In this context, it denotes a deliberate and profound act of spiritual desertion—a willful turning away from the LORD (H3068, Yᵉhôvâh), implying a breach of covenant loyalty and a rejection of His authority and relationship. It is not merely a passive forgetting but an active renunciation of their covenant God.
Derived from a root meaning "to distribute" or "fortune," this term specifically refers to "Fortune," a Babylonian deity (H1408, Gad). The word highlights the pagan belief in an impersonal force or god of luck, to whom the apostate Israelites were offering worship in hopes of securing favorable circumstances, rather than trusting in the sovereign providence of YHWH.
This word refers to "Meni," the Apportioner or Fate, another pagan idol (H4507). Similar to Gad, Meni was worshipped as a deity controlling destiny and the allocation of one's lot in life. The act of furnishing offerings to Meni demonstrates a reliance on an external, non-Yahwistic power to determine one's future, directly contradicting the biblical understanding of God's sovereign control over all things.
Verse Breakdown
"But ye are they that forsake the LORD"
This opening clause immediately identifies the target of the prophecy: those within Israel who have deliberately abandoned their covenant relationship with YHWH, the self-existent and eternal God. "Forsake" implies a conscious act of turning away from loyalty and allegiance to the true God, signifying a profound spiritual rebellion and a rejection of His unique claim on their devotion.
"that forget my holy mountain"
This phrase elaborates on the nature of their apostasy. "My holy mountain" refers to Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where the Temple stood, symbolizing God's dwelling place, the center of legitimate worship, and the embodiment of His covenant presence. To "forget" it means to neglect its significance, disregard the true worship practiced there, and ultimately, to ignore the very presence, laws, and covenant of God.
"that prepare a table for that troop"
This describes a specific idolatrous ritual. "Preparing a table" refers to setting out food and drink as an offering, often for a communal meal in honor of a deity. "That troop" (Gad) is the pagan god of Fortune. This act demonstrates the Israelites' adoption of foreign religious practices, seeking prosperity and good luck from a false god rather than from YHWH, who alone is the source of all blessing.
"and that furnish the drink offering unto that number"
This further details their pagan worship. "Furnishing the drink offering" (libation) was another common ritual in ancient Near Eastern religions, where liquids (wine, oil, water) were poured out as an act of devotion. "That number" (Meni) is the pagan god of Destiny or Fate. This practice signifies their reliance on an idol to determine their future, rather than trusting in the sovereign plan and providence of the LORD, thus betraying their covenant relationship.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 65:11 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. The verse utilizes Parallelism, specifically synonymous and antithetical parallelism, to reinforce the indictment. The phrases "forsake the LORD" and "forget my holy mountain" are parallel in their depiction of spiritual rebellion, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of their turning away from God. Similarly, "prepare a table for that troop" and "furnish the drink offering unto that number" are parallel in describing specific idolatrous acts, highlighting the depth of their pagan involvement. There is also a strong element of Contrast implicit in the broader context of Isaiah 65, where the blessings for the faithful are juxtaposed with the condemnation of the unfaithful, underscoring the stark choice between YHWH and idols. Furthermore, Metaphor and Symbolism are at play: "My holy mountain" is a metaphor for God's presence, true worship, and covenant relationship, and its "forgetting" symbolizes a deeper spiritual amnesia and deliberate disregard. "That troop" and "that number" are not merely names but symbolic representations of the false gods of Fortune and Destiny, embodying the human tendency to seek security and control outside of divine sovereignty.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 65:11 serves as a timeless theological warning against the dangers of spiritual syncretism and idolatry. It underscores the exclusive claim of YHWH upon His people and the profound spiritual infidelity involved in turning to other gods, whether they be ancient deities of fortune and fate or modern idols of materialism, self-reliance, or worldly success. The verse highlights that true worship demands undivided allegiance and that any attempt to combine devotion to God with allegiance to other powers constitutes a betrayal of the covenant. It reminds us that God's jealousy for His glory is righteous and that His people are called to a singular devotion, finding their security, destiny, and blessing solely in Him.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 65:11, though rooted in ancient Israel's struggle with paganism, resonates powerfully with contemporary believers. The core sin is not merely worshipping specific ancient deities, but seeking ultimate security, guidance, and satisfaction from anything other than the one true God. In our modern context, "preparing a table for that troop" or "furnishing a drink offering unto that number" might manifest as an obsessive pursuit of wealth, status, personal comfort, or even intellectual pride, believing these things can truly secure our future or define our destiny, rather than trusting in God's sovereign provision and plan. The call is to examine our hearts and identify what we truly rely on, what consumes our time and energy, and what we believe holds the key to our well-being. Are we forgetting the "holy mountain"—the centrality of God's presence, His Word, and true worship—in favor of the fleeting promises of the world? This verse challenges us to cultivate an undivided heart, to remember our covenant with the LORD, and to find our complete sufficiency and hope in Him alone, recognizing that true fortune and destiny are found only in Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are 'that troop' and 'that number' mentioned in Isaiah 65:11?
'That troop' refers to the pagan deity Gad (Hebrew: gâd), a god of Fortune or Good Luck, widely worshipped in the ancient Near East, particularly among Syrians and Canaanites. 'That number' refers to Meni (Hebrew: Mᵉnîy), a god of Destiny or Fate, also revered in the region. These were specific idols to whom some apostate Israelites were offering worship, believing these deities controlled their prosperity and future, rather than acknowledging the sovereignty of the LORD. The practices described, "preparing a table" and "furnishing the drink offering," were common rituals of devotion to these false gods, directly violating the covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai.
What does it mean to 'forget my holy mountain' in this context?
To "forget my holy mountain" signifies a profound spiritual neglect and abandonment of true worship. "My holy mountain" refers to Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where the Temple stood. This mountain was the symbolic dwelling place of the LORD, the center of His covenant presence, and the legitimate place for Israel's worship and sacrifices. Forgetting it implies not merely a lapse of memory, but a deliberate disregard for God's presence, His laws, and the covenant relationship. It means turning away from the true source of spiritual life and seeking spiritual fulfillment elsewhere, as seen in the subsequent actions of preparing tables for idols. This act of forgetting is a spiritual amnesia, a rejection of the very foundation of their relationship with God.
How does Isaiah 65:11 apply to believers today, even without literal pagan idol worship?
While literal worship of Gad and Meni is rare today, the underlying sin of idolatry remains profoundly relevant. Modern idolatry often manifests in placing ultimate trust, devotion, or hope in anything other than God. This can include materialism (trusting in wealth or possessions), self-reliance (believing one's own efforts or intellect are sufficient), the pursuit of power or status, or even an excessive focus on relationships or hobbies. Anything that takes God's rightful place as the supreme object of our worship, affection, and reliance becomes an idol. Isaiah 65:11 calls us to examine our hearts and ensure our allegiance is solely to the LORD, finding our true security and destiny in His sovereign will and provision, rather than in the fleeting promises of the world or our own perceived "luck" or "fate." This echoes the New Testament's warning against covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 65:11, with its stark indictment of Israel's apostasy, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in Jesus Christ. The "holy mountain" that Israel forgot, representing God's dwelling and the center of true worship, is perfectly embodied in Christ. He is the true temple, the place where God fully dwells among humanity (John 2:19-21). The very act of forsaking the LORD and turning to idols of "Fortune" and "Destiny" highlights humanity's inherent tendency to seek life and control outside of God. Jesus, however, is the one who perfectly submitted to God's will, fulfilling the covenant that Israel repeatedly broke. He is the true "fortune" and "destiny" of humanity, for in Him, all things hold together, and by Him, they were created (Colossians 1:16-17). The drink offerings and prepared tables for false gods are rendered obsolete by Christ's singular, perfect sacrifice on the cross, which is the ultimate offering that takes away sin once for all (Hebrews 9:26). Through His atoning work, believers are brought back into right relationship with God, no longer needing to seek favor from impersonal forces or false deities, but finding their complete salvation, security, and eternal destiny in Him alone. He is the one who gathers the true remnant, establishing a new covenant where God's law is written on hearts, ensuring a people who will never truly "forget" their LORD (Hebrews 8:10-12).