The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 has long been a source of debate among Bible scholars regarding the correct translation and interpretation of the passage. The crux of the issue lies in the Hebrew word “almah” which is translated as “virgin” in some Bible versions but as “young woman” in others. Those who argue for “virgin” point to the Septuagint’s use of the Greek word “parthenos” which unambiguously means virgin. They also argue that almah in Isaiah 7:14 refers to an unmarried woman since a married woman would not be called an almah. Those who argue for “young woman” suggest the Hebrew word betulah would have been used if virginity was implied. So which is the correct translation?
To begin, let’s look at the passage in question:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 ESV)
The debate centers around the Hebrew word “almah” which is translated as “virgin” here. Almah appears 9 times in the Old Testament and seems to refer to a woman of childbearing age who is not yet married. The only other time it is translated as “virgin” is in Genesis 24:43 where it refers to Rebekah. There is another Hebrew word “betulah” which more explicitly means virgin, but that is not the word used here. However, almah clearly refers to an unmarried woman in Isaiah 7:14 based on the description of conception and childbearing. A married woman would not be described as an “almah.”
The Septuagint, an early Greek translation of the Old Testament, chose to translate almah as “parthenos” which unambiguously means virgin. This indicates the translators understood almah to imply virginity in Isaiah 7:14. The gospel writers Matthew and Luke follow the Septuagint’s lead using “parthenos” to quote this passage, confirming they saw Isaiah 7:14 as prophesying the virgin birth of Jesus.
Furthermore, many scholars point out that the sign mentioned in Isaiah 7:14 implies something remarkable or miraculous. The prophecy is given to King Ahaz to reassure him God will protect Judah. If Isaiah simply meant a “young woman” would give birth, that would hardly be a remarkable sign given that young women give birth all the time. For the passage to make sense as a reassuring sign, it must refer to a virgin miraculously conceiving.
On the other side, those arguing for “young woman” point out that nowhere else does almah clearly mean virgin. They argue that if Isaiah wanted to clearly prophesy a virgin birth, he would have used betulah instead. Since almah may refer to a young unmarried woman, it does not necessarily imply virginity. The “sign” could simply be referring to the timing or circumstances of the birth rather than the manner.
They also argue that Isaiah likely had a contemporary meaning in mind. The most common view is that Isaiah was prophesying about a “young woman” in Ahaz’s time conceiving and bearing a son who would be named “God with us” since God would be with Judah to deliver them from their enemies. The passage was later reinterpreted by the Septuagint and gospel writers as messianic prophecy about Christ’s virgin birth.
So in summary, while “young woman” is lexically possible, the context of Isaiah 7:14 makes “virgin” the most likely translation:
- Almah refers to an unmarried woman able to conceive
- The Septuagint translated almah as parthenos (“virgin”)
- The sign implies something remarkable like a virgin birth
- Matthew and Luke interpret Isaiah 7:14 as prophecy of Jesus’ virgin birth
For these reasons, calling Isaiah 7:14 a prophecy of Jesus Christ’s virgin birth has strong biblical support. The “young woman” translation, while lexically possible, does not fit the context as naturally. Seeing Isaiah 7:14 as an immediate prophecy about a contemporary birth requires reading a different meaning than what Matthew and Luke understood. In conclusion, “virgin” is the best translation of almah in Isaiah 7:14 based on the text and broader biblical context.
The Immediate Context and Meaning of Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 7:14 must be understood in its immediate context as a message for King Ahaz during a time of crisis. The kingdom of Judah was being threatened with invasion by Israel and Syria around 734 BC. Isaiah comes to reassure Ahaz that God will protect Jerusalem and Judah will not be defeated (Isaiah 7:1-9). As part of this reassurance, Isaiah prophecies that a child will soon be born called Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14). This serves as a sign that God is with Judah and will deliver them.
Many scholars argue Isaiah had a birth in Ahaz’s time in view. Some think Isaiah’s own wife was pregnant or soon would be, so the “almah” was Isaiah’s wife. Others think it refers to another pregnant woman in Ahaz’s household. In this view, the immediate fulfillment concerned a child born during Ahaz’s life who would be a sign of God’s presence and Judah’s deliverance at that time. The name Immanuel indicated God was with Judah to protect them from foreign invasion.
Later Jewish and Christian interpretation saw Isaiah 7:14 as having a double fulfillment – an immediate partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day regarding an ordinary birth, as well as an eschatological fulfillment regarding the virgin birth of the messiah Jesus Christ. In this view, the immediate context refers to a contemporary “young woman” giving birth, but the deeper prophetic meaning looked ahead to Christ’s virgin birth centuries later. This remains the view of most conservative Christian scholars today.
The Wider Context of Messianic Prophecy
While Isaiah 7:14 had an immediate context, the passage also fits into a wider context of messianic prophecies in Isaiah. Jesus Himself said the Old Testament prophecies spoke about Him (Luke 24:27; John 5:39). There are multiple prophecies before Isaiah 7:14 that Christians interpret as referring to Jesus Christ:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2)
Isaiah 9 prophecies the birth of a royal, divine child, while Isaiah 11 says a descendant of Jesse will have God’s Spirit rest on Him. Christians see these as clear prophecies about Jesus’ birth and ministry. Isaiah 7:14 naturally fits this pattern as another prophecy of a miraculous birth. Isaiah’s messianic prophecies culminate in the Servant Songs (Isaiah 42, 49, 50, 52:13-53:12) which describe a suffering servant who dies for sin – also considered by Christians to be about Jesus.
When seen in the context of these surrounding prophecies, Isaiah 7:14 meshes well as another prophetic reference to Jesus, likely referring to His virgin birth. Some scholars think Isaiah 7:14 directly prophesies Jesus because Isaiah saw a vision of the Virgin Mary conceiving Christ. Others think Isaiah described a contemporary birth but the Holy Spirit intended it as a dual prophecy about Christ. Either way, the surrounding messianic prophecies support a messianic interpretation of Isaiah 7:14.
Use in Matthew and Luke’s Nativity Accounts
The strongest biblical support for viewing Isaiah 7:14 as a prophecy of Christ’s virgin birth comes from its use in the nativity accounts of Matthew and Luke. Both gospels clearly cite Isaiah 7:14 as prophecy fulfilled in Jesus’ miraculous conception and birth:
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:22-23)
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. … And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:35, 36-38)
Luke has the angel Gabriel tell Mary she will miraculously conceive as a virgin through the Holy Spirit, connecting this directly to Isaiah’s prophecy of a virgin birth. Since the gospels clearly apply Isaiah 7:14 to Christ’s virgin conception, this confirms “virgin” is the intended meaning. Some critical scholars argue the gospel writers force Isaiah 7:14 into a messianic context it was never meant to have. But evangelical scholars contend inspiration of the Holy Spirit led Matthew and Luke to recognize Isaiah 7:14’s deeper meaning.
Translation and Interpretation History of Isaiah 7:14
The translation history of Isaiah 7:14 shows ongoing support for the “virgin” translation among major Bible versions:
- The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) used “parthenos” meaning virgin.
- The Latin Vulgate used “virgo” meaning virgin.
- John Wycliffe’s 14th century English Bible translated it “a virgin.”
- William Tyndale’s English New Testament (1526) used “a virgin.”
- The Geneva Bible (1587) used “a virgin.”
- The KJV (1611) followed as “a virgin.”
- The RV, ASV, RSV, NASB, ESV and most modern versions also use “virgin.”
The main outlier is the Jewish Publication Society’s 1917 Old Testament which translates Isaiah 7:14 as “the young woman” rather than “the virgin.” Critics argue the unanimous choice of “virgin” is due to Christian bias reading a virgin birth into the text. But it can also be argued this continual choice confirms “virgin” as the best translation, with Christian translators recognizing a dual meaning intended by the Holy Spirit.
Christian interpreters up until the past century overwhelmingly saw Isaiah 7:14 as prophesying Christ’s virgin birth, including Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, John Chrysostom, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin and more modern conservative scholars. Higher criticism views challenged this starting in the 19th century, arguing the passage had only a contemporary meaning. But conservative exegetes defend the traditional messianic view and most evangelical scholars today see a dual fulfillment in Isaiah’s day and regarding Christ.
Key Points of Analysis
In determining whether “virgin” or “young woman” is the right translation of Isaiah 7:14, several key points emerge:
- The Hebrew word almah refers to a young unmarried woman able to conceive, so virginity is implied though not explicit.
- The Septuagint translation supports “virgin” as does the near unanimous translation tradition.
- A merely ordinary birth would not serve well as a “sign” in Isaiah 7, supporting a miraculous meaning.
- Matthew and Luke clearly interpret Isaiah 7:14 messianically as prophesying Christ’s virgin birth.
- Isaiah 7:14 fits into a wider section of Isaiah prophecy Christians see as messianic.
- While an immediate meaning may be possible, the textual clues point to the Holy Spirit intending a dual prophecy.
Based on these reasons, “virgin” is the best English translation of Isaiah 7:14. The immediate context may allow for a non-miraculous contemporary meaning, but the surrounding clues point to God inspiring Isaiah with a deeper prophecy of the coming Messiah’s miraculous conception hundreds of years later. As Matthew 1:22-23 concludes, Jesus’ virgin birth “fulfilled what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.”
Objections to the “Virgin” Translation
Those objecting to the “virgin” translation raise several counter arguments:
- Almah does not explicitly mean virgin, so reading virginity into it goes beyond what the Hebrew word means.
- If Isaiah meant to prophesy a virgin birth, he would have used betulah which explicitly means virgin.
- The article “the” with almah probably refers to a specific woman known to Isaiah and Ahaz, not centuries in the future.
- The surrounding context is about protecting Judah from invasion with no connection to a messiah.
- The gospel writers quote from the Septuagint, not the original Hebrew, so rely on an inaccurate translation.
In response, evangelical scholars argue:
- While almah does not always mean virgin, the context of Isaiah 7 requires it.
- Almah means a young unmarried woman able to conceive, so virginity is implied.
- Definite articles in prophecy often refer to future fulfillments whose exact identity is unknown.
- Dual fulfillment with both a contemporary and messianic meaning is a common feature in prophecy.
- The Holy Spirit could inspire the precise word choices needed for the full meaning He intended.
Additionally, the New Testament authors cite the Septuagint under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lending authority to its translation choice. So upon close examination, the objections do not outweigh the evidence for the “virgin” translation.
Significance and Conclusion
This issue holds significance because Isaiah 7:14 is a central passage connected to the doctrine of Jesus’ virgin birth and incarnation. While Christians do not base doctrine on a single verse, Isaiah 7:14 has traditionally been important in pointing to Christ’s unique miraculous conception. So determining the correct translation and interpretation is important.
In conclusion, while “young woman” is lexically permissible, the evidence best supports translating Isaiah 7:14 as prophesying that “the virgin will conceive.” This fits the context, wider messianic prophecy, the Septuagint translation, and Matthew and Luke’s inspired interpretation. The Holy Spirit seems to have superintended Isaiah’s vocabulary and phrasing so that it would predict both an immediate event and also foreshadow Christ’s virgin birth centuries later. This double fulfillment, with fuller messianic meaning intended by God, is a common feature of biblical prophecy. So “virgin” is the best English translation of Isaiah 7:14 based on the biblical evidence.
