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In the previous chapter, the Hebrew Scriptures establish the necessity of the Messiah's virgin birth. Because of the failures of Solomon and his descendants to meet the requirements stipulated in Psalm 132:12, 1 Kings 9:3-5 and 1 Kings 2:1-4, God cut off the kingly line of Judah. According to Jeremiah 22:24-30, Jeconiah's descendants are declared ineligible to claim the throne of David as the king of Israel. Additionally, according to Jeremiah 52:8-10, all of king Zedekiah's sons were killed at Riblah. The genealogical pathway to the Messiah ended!
Even though the necessity of the virgin birth is proven in the Hebrew Scriptures, it was announced in one verse, in Isaiah 7:14. Those who oppose the virgin birth openly challenge its Hebrew-to-English translation. In the King James translation of the Bible, Isaiah 7:14 states, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin (almah) shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." In contrast to this and many other Christian translations, the 1917 Jewish Publication Society Bible translates this same verse in the following manner, "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman (almah) shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
In order to establish which translation is more accurate, we should consider the historical context of the passage as well as the Hebrew meaning of the word, almah. It is important to understand that the requirements placed on Solomon and his heirs were not met, but to also understand the historical events that were taking place at the time in which Isaiah wrote. This chapter records the dialogue between Isaiah and Ahaz during the prophet's visit to the king. It also bears witness to Ahaz' negative behavior and absence of faith in God during their meeting. Additionally, it pronounces God's final judgment on the house of David, who are the kings of Judah, that He would no longer consider them eligible progenitors to the Messiah.
During Isaiah's ministry, King Ahaz was the reigning king of Judah. He was also a descendant of Solomon. Ahaz' genealogy, found in 1 Chronicles 3:10-13, states: "And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son."
In 2 Kings 16:2-4, the Bible teaches that Ahaz was an evil king:
"Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father. (3) But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. (4) And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree."
This passage reveals the sins of Ahaz. He sacrificed and burnt incense to the pagan gods of the heathen. Furthermore, he made his son pass through the fire. In 2Chronicles 28:3, the Bible records this account: "Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel." Based on the strong Scriptural evidence supplied in the Bible and with respect to the conditions and stipulations set forth by the LORD God of Israel to the descendants of David, there can be no doubt that Ahaz was a complete and utter failure.
During Ahaz' reign as the king of Judah, there came a time when both Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel joined forces against him. They came to Jerusalem in an attempt to overthrow him but could not prevail. As a result of these conditions, Ahaz was extremely concerned about not only this life-threatening situation but also the immediate future of the house of David. The Bible in 2 Kings 16:5 and Isaiah 7:1 shows the situation facing king Ahaz:
Isaiah chapter 7 begins with God's command to the prophet Isaiah to take his son Shearjashub and go and meet with the king. God instructed Isaiah to tell Ahaz not to be discouraged or concerned about those who were opposing him. According to the LORD God, Rezin and Pekah's attempts would fail. In Isaiah 7:3-7, Isaiah was there to encourage Ahaz that the LORD God was with him.
"Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field. (4) And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. (5) Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, (6) Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: (7) Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass."
Although Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah were coming against him, the house of Israel, represented by Ephraim, would be utterly defeated. The Bible tells in Isaiah 7:8-9 that this defeat would occur within a sixty-five year period:
"For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. (9) And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."
In Isaiah 7:9, God gives Ahaz an ultimatum: "If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established." In other words, Ahaz must believe God in order to establish his throne.
It was now time to test Ahaz' faith! Isaiah 7:10-11 explains that the LORD, through the prophet Isaiah, asked Ahaz the following, "Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above." In defiance, Ahaz tells Isaiah in Isaiah 7:12, "I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD."
Ahaz refused to ask God and to comply with His request. Therefore, he demonstrated his unbelief and a complete absence of faith. As a result, God's response was immediately directed to the house of David and the Judaic line of kings. According to the LORD, since Ahaz failed to meet the requirement specified in Isaiah 7:9, his throne would NOT be established. This resulted in the LORD's immediate judgment against the house of David. While David's line failed in God's conditional promise, God's unconditional promise would be fulfilled in a sign: a virgin would conceive and bear a Son. God Himself would become the Father of the Messiah! In Isaiah 7:13-14 the words of the prophet reveal:
"And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? (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."
In Isaiah 7:14, the Bible uses the Hebrew word almah. It is translated as 'virgin' in the Christian Bibles and as 'young woman' in the Jewish Bibles. Which translation is correct? With respect to the definition supplied in the Scriptures, both translations are correct since an almah is a young woman who is a virgin.
In order to provide this illustration, it is important to keep in mind that the Bible uses the word almah on six other occasions besides Isaiah's usage in Isaiah 7:14. This word was first referenced in Genesis 24:43 to describe Rebekah. It is also found in Exodus 2:8, Psalm 68:25, Proverbs 30:19, Song of Songs 1:3 and Song of Songs 6:8. Isaiah was the last prophet to use this word. Since it is used only seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures, it is obviously a very special word.
With respect to the true definition of the word almah, it is important to remember that God's everlasting covenant would continue through Abraham's son Isaac. Genesis 17:19 testifies of God's promise to Abraham: "And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him."
At Isaac's birth, Abraham was fully aware that his son was someone special. As he approached manhood and became of age to take a wife, his father expressed a legitimate concern because they lived in the land of the Canaanites. These people were pagans who not only worshipped idols but also practiced all types of iniquity and sexual immorality (see Leviticus chapter 18). Naturally, Abraham preferred that the everlasting covenant between God and himself would not be continued by his son's marriage to a pagan Canaanite woman. To the contrary, he preferred that Isaac would marry a pure and virtuous young woman. The LORD God felt the same way. This is where the story of Rebekah begins!
Genesis chapter 24 starts with Abraham ordering his eldest servant to go to his home country in Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor, to find a respectable wife for Isaac. Upon his arrival, Abraham's servant prayed to God and asked Him to bless Abraham. Genesis 24:12-14 cites the prayer of Abraham's servant as follows:
"And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. (13) Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: (14) And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master."
Genesis 24:15 indicates that Rebekah came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder before Abraham's servant was done speaking. The following verse, Genesis 24:16, describes Rebekah in the following manner: "And the damsel (naarah) was very fair to look upon, a virgin (betulah), neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up."
According to Genesis 24:16, Rebekah was referred to as a naarah. Strong's Concordance 5291 defines the Hebrew word naarah as a girl from the age of infancy to adolescence. Additionally, in the same verse, she was also called a betulah. Strong's Concordance 1330 defines the Hebrew word betulah as a virgin of any age.
Abraham's servant was elated because he had found the perfect wife for Isaac. In Genesis 24:43, the same chapter, he recalled the incident back at the well. Regarding Rebekah, he stated as follows, "Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin (almah) cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink." This verse provides the foundational usage of the word almah. It is also translated as 'virgin.' Since a betulah is defined as a virgin of any age, and Rebekah was also called a naarah, the conclusion is rather obvious: Genesis 24:16,43 provides the equation that an almah is a naarah who is a betulah. In other words, an almah is a young woman of marriageable age who is a virgin. The equation: almah = naarah + betulah.
In conclusion, Rebekah is the prototype almah. The prophets understood this and used this word to describe the attributes of the future mother of the Messiah. She would be just like Rebekah, a pure and virtuous young virgin of marriageable age.
While Genesis chapter 24 provides the true meaning of the Hebrew word almah, Judaism's anti-missionaries constantly attempt to challenge its meaning. After all, if Isaiah 7:14 prophesies of a virgin birth, Judaism must reconsider its entire position regarding Jesus of Nazareth.
Those who challenge the virgin birth prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 refer to another passage where almah is used, such as Proverbs 30:18-20, which reads as follows:
"There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yea, four which I know not: (19) The way of an eagle in the air; The way of a serpent upon a rock; The way of a ship in the midst of the sea; And the way of a man with a young woman (almah). (20) So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith: 'I have done no wickedness.'"
This passage is taken from the Jewish translation, the 1917 JPS. Though most of the proverbs record the words of Solomon, this proverb is an exception as it records the words of Agur, son of Jakeh (see Proverbs 30:1). Here, the proverb-writer describes wonderful and majestic things such as the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, the way of a serpent upon a rock and the way of a man with an almah, translated as young woman.
Judaism's anti-missionaries attempt to challenge the true meaning of Proverbs 30:18-19 by using the next verse, "So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith: 'I have done no wickedness." They maintain the position that the adulterous woman in verse 20 is the young woman, the almah, in verse 19. However, their position is seriously flawed since verses 18-19 describe wonderful things. Certainly the way of a man with an adulterous woman cannot be considered a wonderful thing. According to the Bible, it is sin! Exodus 20:14 states, "Thou shalt not commit adultery."
The true meaning of Proverbs 30:18-20 is that verses 18 and 19 describe wonderful things. Meanwhile, the comparison between what is defined in the Bible as wonderful and the sin in verse 20 provides the contrast. Things that are wonderful to a man include his way with an almah, a young woman who is a virgin, just like Rebekah was before she married Isaac.
In an additional effort to refute the concept of the virgin birth taught in Isaiah 7:14, Judaism's anti-missionaries attempt to find other candidates for the child that would be born of an almah. Some of them claim that Ahaz himself would be the father of this child. However, since Ahaz was a king, he could only become the father of a child that would be conceived by a queen or a concubine, not an almah. Song of Songs 6:8 provides an important distinction between queens, concubines and virgins, (in Hebrew 'alamot', the plural form of almah) as follows, "There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number." This verse alone eliminates Ahaz as the father of the child conceived through an almah. By definition, he could only be the father of a child conceived with a queen or a concubine.
Since Ahaz brought his children through the fire and sacrificed them to pagan gods, the Bible teaches that Hezekiah was his only surviving heir (1Chronicles 3:13). Another way to eliminate Ahaz as the father of the child prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 is to illustrate that when Isaiah came to visit king Ahaz in Isaiah chapter 7, Hezekiah was already at least nine years of age. This can be demonstrated by referring to the following verses:
In 2 Kings 16:2, the Bible reveals that Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for sixteen years. Therefore, his kingship ended at the age of thirty-six (20 + 16 = 36). We see also that 2 Kings 16:20 teaches that his son Hezekiah took the throne as king immediately upon his father's death. Moreover, 2 Kings 18:2 provides critical information indicating that Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign. Therefore, since Ahaz died at the age of thirty-six and Hezekiah took the throne at the age of twenty-five, Hezekiah was eleven years younger than Ahaz (36 - 25 = 11). Since Isaiah chapter 7 describes Isaiah's visit to king Ahaz, Hezekiah was at least nine years old at the time of Isaiah's visit (20 - 11 = 9). Once again, this proves that Ahaz' son cannot be the subject of Isaiah 7:14 which prophesies that a child would be born of an almah.
With respect to Isaiah 7:14, Judaism's anti-missionaries attempt to place one final candidate into the equation: Isaiah's wife, the prophetess mentioned in Isaiah chapter 8. In Isaiah 8:3, he records:
"And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz."
However, Isaiah's son Mahershalalhashbaz cannot be the subject of Isaiah 7:14 for two reasons. First, an almah never applies to a married woman in the Scriptures. Secondly, it never refers to a woman who already has a child. She and Isaiah already had a son! According to Isaiah 7:3, when Isaiah went to meet Ahaz, he took his son Shearjashub with him.
According to the Scriptures, Ahaz was an evil king. He demonstrated his unbelief and absence of faith in the LORD God of Israel and failed to meet the requirement stipulated in Isaiah 7:9. This unbelief caused his heirs to lose the kingly line of Judah. Hence, the LORD God Himself would become the Father of the Messiah. The Messiah would be born of a virgin and called Immanuel, which means "God with us." And Israel's Messiah would be Deity, Almighty God in the flesh!