Isaiah 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.
Original Language Analysis
לָ֠כֵן
H3651
לָ֠כֵן
Strong's:
H3651
Word #:
1 of 15
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner
יִתֵּ֨ן
himself shall give
H5414
יִתֵּ֨ן
himself shall give
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
2 of 15
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
אֲדֹנָ֥י
Therefore the Lord
H136
אֲדֹנָ֥י
Therefore the Lord
Strong's:
H136
Word #:
3 of 15
the lord (used as a proper name of god only)
ה֛וּא
H1931
ה֛וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
4 of 15
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
א֑וֹת
you a sign
H226
א֑וֹת
you a sign
Strong's:
H226
Word #:
6 of 15
a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc
וְיֹלֶ֣דֶת
and bear
H3205
וְיֹלֶ֣דֶת
and bear
Strong's:
H3205
Word #:
10 of 15
to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
בֵּ֔ן
a son
H1121
בֵּ֔ן
a son
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
11 of 15
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
וְקָרָ֥את
and shall call
H7121
וְקָרָ֥את
and shall call
Strong's:
H7121
Word #:
12 of 15
to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
Cross References
Matthew 1:23Behold, 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.Isaiah 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.Luke 1:31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.Luke 1:35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.1 Timothy 3:16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.Isaiah 8:8And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.Isaiah 8:10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.Jeremiah 31:22How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
Historical Context
Isaiah delivered this prophecy during King Ahaz's reign (circa 735 BC) when Judah faced invasion from Syria and Israel. Ahaz refused God's offer of a sign, yet God gave one anyway. While there may have been an initial partial fulfillment in Isaiah's time, the New Testament clearly presents Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment. The early church saw this as powerful evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah, born of a virgin exactly as prophesied.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the virgin birth demonstrate both God's supernatural power and His desire to dwell intimately with humanity?
- What does the name 'Immanuel' reveal about Jesus's nature and His mission to reconcile God and man?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This is one of Scripture's most celebrated Messianic prophecies. The virgin birth ('almah' in Hebrew, speaking of a young woman of marriageable age, translated 'parthenos'—virgin—in the Greek Septuagint) would be an unprecedented sign from God. The name 'Immanuel' meaning 'God with us' points beyond the immediate historical context to the incarnation of Christ, where deity and humanity unite in one person. Matthew 1:22-23 explicitly identifies Jesus's virgin birth as the fulfillment of this prophecy.