Isaiah 7:14 Virgin or Woman? - Removing The Fog of Religion

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Isaiah 7:14 Virgin or Woman?

Emails & Questions
 
Isaiah 7:14 – woman or virgin?

 
Q: How do you explain Isaiah 7:14?  No way does it say the woman to give birth to the savior is a virgin.
Many Jewish friend have pointed out the word the English translates as virgin is almah in Hebrew and only means woman.  How do you explain that? D.
 
 
A: Thanks for writing.
And you are correct the “almah” in the Hebrew does refer to the female sex – more precisely it is the word used for “young woman”, not a mother or a pregnant woman.
 
The problem with most, having a problem with this word and accepting the argument of some in the Jewish religion, is that they are looking at this through the lens of the modern eye.
 
In the Western world it is hard to find a real “virgin”, most “young women” have had sex or are sexually active – this is contrary to the word of God, the word of YaHWeH.
 
Back in the day, so to speak, the reverse was true, “young women” were presumed to be virgins all.  
Our young women have been encouraged to engage in intercourse, in the US and Europe it is no longer looked upon as a shameful thing and many, becoming pregnant, are rewarded by the State and the Federal government for support of the young child having a young child.
 
Back in the day, the near distant day, families of such unplanned births were supported by the family and this was not an acceptable thing in society and was looked down on.  But, in the name of tolerance and avoiding any kind of judgment it has become a common event for young women of today to have babies out of marriage.
 
Sad but true.
 
 
So, the answer is that this word you are worried about, a word used in attempts to get you to question the Virgin Birth of our Lord, is a majority assumption that “young women” of that day were presumed to be virgins, everyone.  This is a straw argument thrown to create doubt.
 
The translators, back in the day, knew exactly what was meant and translated this word into an appropriate English word.
 
You see, even in the days of the King James translators, young women were prized as virgins and for young women to be sexually active out of wed lock was sometimes a punishable offense against God, country and family.
 
The Prophecy:
 
(Isa 7:14)
 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
 
 
The Fulfillment:
 
(Mat 1:21)  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name YaHshua: for he shall save his people from    their sins.
 
 
(Mat 1:22)  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel”, which being interpreted is, God with us.
 
 
(Luke 1:31-33)  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name YaHshua.He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
 
 
send questions or comments to:  dan@servantsofyahshua.com
 
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