The virgin? will conceive and give birth to a son

[TonyChanYT]

New International Version Isaiah 7:

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

The word is almah (H5959 עַלְמָה). It appears 7 times. H5959 is ambiguous.

New American Bible:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel.

On Biblehub, 39 versions use virgin. Only 3 use young woman. 6 commentaries agree with virgin: Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Pulpit, Matthew Poole, Keil and Delitzsch, Gill. Only 2 agree with young woman: Ellicott, Cambridge.

There is another word in Exodus 22:

16 “If a man seduces a virgin [H1330] who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife.

The word here is bethulah (H1330 בְּתוּלָה). It appears 50 times. It properly means virgin.

LXX expressed their opinion by translating H5959 to παρθένος (G3933-virgin).

BDAG παρθένος:

one who has never engaged in sexual intercourse, virgin, chaste person ⓐ female of marriageable age w. focus on virginity

If you want to stick to the literal translation "young woman" is better.

If you want to interpret a little, use "virgin".

 

[GISMYS_7]

Who would be so foolish as to doubt the word of God about the Mother of Jesus???

 

[TonyChanYT]

Who would be so foolish as to doubt the word of God about the Mother of Jesus???

Right. Even Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.

 

[Mr E]

Right. Even Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.

Muslims have no mental or cultural barriers preventing them from understanding the concept of an older man taking a young girl for a wife.

 

[Randy Kluth]

New International Version Isaiah 7:


The word is almah (H5959 עַלְמָה). It appears 7 times. H5959 is ambiguous.

New American Bible:


On Biblehub, 39 versions use virgin. Only 3 use young woman. 6 commentaries agree with virgin: Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Pulpit, Matthew Poole, Keil and Delitzsch, Gill. Only 2 agree with young woman: Ellicott, Cambridge.

There is another word in Exodus 22:


The word here is bethulah (H1330 בְּתוּלָה). It appears 50 times. It properly means virgin.

LXX expressed their opinion by translating H5959 to παρθένος (G3933-virgin).

BDAG παρθένος:


If you want to stick to the literal translation "young woman" is better.

If you want to interpret a little, use "virgin".

Yes, the word refers, I think, to "young woman" generally. The prophecy would not have to mean "virgin" apart from the fact Isaiah was foretelling a "sign," or a "miracle." It was not immediately evident to Isaiah that this was a "virgin," but as Peter said (1 Pet 1.12), the Prophets were curious but not always given the full meaning of their prophecies.

The interesting thing about biblical prophecy, particularly Messianic prophecy, is that contemporary events could be used as prophecies by typology. For example, Isaiah could have a son, and then be led of the Lord to give him a particular Messianic name, providing later generations with a "prophecy." After the fact, people could see Jesus, and look back recognizing this as a prophecy confirming his messiahship, inasmuch as he was born of a virgin.

Many, many prophecies were given in the ancient past that would not immediately be known to be a Messianic prophecy, eg the prophecy that a child would be born to bruise the serpent's head, that Abraham, in offering his son Isaac, portrayed the offering of God's Son for the sins of the world. Many, many prophecies were given in this way, the lives of saints being inspired by the Spirit of Christ to reflect who he was and what he would be at his 1st Coming.

This is how the "young girl" is used. It is not a "sign" unless the young girl is something special. And the Gospel authors interpreted it in Greek to reflect the fact it was meant to be applied, ultimately, to Christ being born of a virgin. That made the young girl, Mary, a "sign."

Isa 7.14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The [young woman] will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Mat 1.21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)

Many of these prophecies made no sense to those to whom they were given in their own time. But out of obedience to God they became prophecies of Christ, confirming who he was to Jews in the time he came, verifying his work of atonement.