In this post we will compare a lot of English Bibles on the passage of Isa 7:14

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.

I don’t necessarily want to do a full defense of this translation of Scripture because I am not doing these Bible compares to exposit Bible (absolutely). But in the end analysis, that is exactly what we will have to do. The point is to compare how different translators treated difficult passages.

Note that I am using theWord free Bible Software to do this analysis which is very easy with the sofBible Compare Isa 7:14 virgin tware package.

Exposition of Isaiah 7:14 “young woman” versus “virgin”

First of all, let me just “cut to the chase” here, the word עַלְמָה almá means a young woman. It is not specifically talking about whether she is experienced sexually or not. So there is an argument from pure linguistics that exists.

However, having said that, there is more to translating that just looking up words in a lexicon. Here is how the difference between a good translator and a poor inexperienced one shows up. The doctrine of Inspiration of Holy Scripture mandates that there is a harmony between all Scripture, and one place cannot contradict another place in Scripture.

Matt 1:23 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.

So we revisit our translation of alma into “young woman” or “virgin”. In Mat 1:23 the word παρθένος parthenos which does mean a virgin. But in Hebrew culture, fornication was dealt with by stoning the people involved. A girl that was a harlot was dealt with strongly and a final solution (public death) meant that they were not running around like that.

So although there is some leeway in the meaning of the both words (less in parthenos than alma), we would have to say beyond any doubt of the two choices in English, “a virgin” has to be the only option. This is because of the harmony of Scripture…

Matt 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Scripture clearly teaches that Mary was not to have sexual relations until after the birth of Jesus. There is not anything doubtful about that point from Scripture (Mat 1:25). So any insertion of doubt as to whether Mary was a virgin or not is counter to the harmony of Scripture.

Moreover, the logic of the matter must come to bear AGAINST “young woman”. It is no sign but an ordinary common occurrence that young women become pregnant, whether single mothers or young married women. There is no sign there. But a young woman that has not known a man sexually, that is a great sign, and it refers back to the garden of Eden, Gen 3:15, that the woman’s seed (opposed to the man’s seed) will be the ultimate undoing of Satan.

Versions that translate Isa 7:14 “virgin”.

APOSTOLIC BIBLE© POLYGLOT, American Standard Version (ASV), The Apostles’ Bible, Bishop’s Bible, Companion Bible Revised (1909 by E.W. Bullinger),
Coverdale Bible, Catholic Public Domain Version, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible,
Emphasized Bible, exeGeses companion Bible, English Standard Version, English Jubilee 2000 Bible
Geneva Bible,
Holman Christian Standard Bible HCSB,  Inspired Version of the Bible
King James 2000, The Living Bible, Lampsa Peshitta, Lighthouse Bible,
The Message Bible, New American Standard, New Heart English Bible, Jehovah Ed., New International Version (ed. 1984), New International Readers Version, New King James Version,
Revised Version (or English Revised Version), Revised Webster Version of the Holy Bible (1833),
Smith Bible, Third Millennial Bible, Today’s NIV Tyndale
Updated King James Version, A Voice in the Wilderness 2008, The World English Bible (WEB), World English Bible: Messianic Edition, Wycliffe,  1898 Young’s Literal Translation

Versions that translate Isa 7:14 some other way

The Scriptures 1998 (TS98)

Isa 7:14 “Therefore יהוה Himself gives you a sign: Look, the maiden conceives and gives birth to a Son, and shall call His Name Immanu’ĕl.

The Amplified Bible (AMP)

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us].(1)

1949/1964 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

Isa 7:14 For this cause the Lord himself will give you a sign; a young woman is now with child, and she will give birth to a son, and she will give him the name Immanuel.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Isa 7:14 Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman will become pregnant, bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us].

Concordant Version (CLV)

Isa 7:14 Wherefore, Yahweh Himself will give a sign to you: Behold! the damsel shall be pregnant and bear a son, and you call his name Emmanu-El.”

Israeli Authorized Version (IAV)

Isa 7:14 Therefore YY himself shall give you a sign; Behold, the maiden shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name ImmanuEl.

New Jerusalem Bible (Jerus)

Isa 7:14 The Lord will give you a sign in any case: It is this: the young woman is with child and will give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel.

The NET Bible® (NET)

Isa 7:14 For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.

The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witness) (NWT)

Isa 7:14 Therefore Jehovah himself will give YOU men a sign: Look! The maiden herself will actually become pregnant, and she is giving birth to a son, and she will certainly call his name Im·man’u·el.

Noyes Translation (Job – Re) – 1869 (NOYES)

Isa 7:14 Therefore shall Jehovah himself give you a sign: Behold, the damsel shall conceive, and bear a son, And she shall call his name Immanuel.

My Observations

First of all, I note that the translations “the damsel” and “the maiden” still seem to give some kind of sense of Mary being young, that is outside of typical marrying age. So that is something. Still, I would not be satisfied with a Bible that would soft-peddle the divinity of Jesus Christ, and that is what is at issue here.

In my recollection (which may be greatly flawed), the first NIV version translated this passage with “young woman” not virgin. I believe they changed that because of criticism.

I would note as a side point here, no true translation of the Bible is good if it is founded out of popularity for or against some position. Our Bible needs to say what it says, and that needs to come from within its page, and not according to what today people think. As an illustration, gays are accepted among many churches as being a biblical lifestyle. That is so far from the truth that it is hardly worthy of pointing out that God condemned and punished Sodom and Gomorrah because of their homosexual sin. We don’t want anything to do with rewriting the Bible. Let it say what it says.

Comparing these versions own ways of translating alma H5959

Alma H5959 occurs in the Hebrew text here (from the KJV):

Gen 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw [water], and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
Exod 2:8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
Ps 68:25 The singers went before, the players on instruments [followed] after; among [them were] the damsels playing with timbrels.
Prov 30:19 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 maid.
Song 1:3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name [is as] ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
Song 6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
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.

My Observations

Even the King James Version itself gives some credence to the translation of alma as maid and damsel. So before we jump to conclusions here, there is that correct leeway within the Hebrew word to translate alma with any of these translations. Our point is not to deny that, but to say that none of the other places refer specifically to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Isaiah 7:14 being that exact point, it deserves a special treatment, demanding the translation “virgin” over any other alternative version.

Observations on Versions that translate Isa 7:14 some other way

I did these studies in like less than a second with theWord.

My preliminary Observations

First of all, the Hebrew word alma can and does mean virgin. So in seeing the translation theory in the minds of the translators, let’s look at where these passages that “alma” occurs, and how did they translate the word in other “alma” passages. Secondly, of the words available to translate “alma” “virgin”, “young woman”, “maiden”, and “damsel”, where and when did they use these words in their version? I will add the way the KJV translates alma after I note how the particular version translators did.

As an overview, the phrase “young woman” simply communicates that the person is female and that she is not old (which depends on how old the person doing the observing is, but probably someone under 30ish). “Maid” and “maiden” are words that communicate that the person is female, and basically a servant. In most biblical contexts that would be a single woman in contradiction to a married woman. A “maid” serves in her parent’s house until she marries and becomes the woman head of her house, not serving but ruling under her husband. The essence is that she is still serving and laboring, but for her own, and not in the house of another. A “damsel” communicates a female and a young one, and it has no reference to service or labor, but rather to that age of playfulness, like a child.

A “virgin” is a female that has not entered into sexual activity. While any of the above terms could mean a virgin at the same time, and damsel and maiden would naturally imply sexual purity in biblical times, they don’t necessary make the statement of sexual purity, but more of innocence. Virgin is a strong word that very strongly implies no previous sexual activity.

H1330 בּתוּלה bethûlâh beth-oo-law’

Feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state: – maid, virgin.

This word is a logic choice for the concept of a virgin. Some female being separated, as being preserved from men until her husband comes along. This goes well with the Bible concepts.

Lev 21:13 And he (priest) shall take a wife in her virginity. Lev 21:14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, [or] an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.

This word is a sexually pure woman, someone who not only has not had sexual relationships outside of marriage, but also has not yet contracted marriage.

The Amplified Bible (AMP) “the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin”

KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:14 virgin.

“alma” – Gen 24:43 maiden; Ex 2:8 girl; Ps 68:25 maiden; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 maidens; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 “young woman“. The AMP is all over the place as far as translating alma. In Gen 24:43 where it is not clear if the person was a virgin or not, they chose “virgin”. In Prov 30:19 and Song of Solomon passages which are pretty heavily indicating a virgin, they went with maid and virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 38 times.
“maiden” – occurs 44 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 7 times.

Verses in AMP where “virgin” occurs (ALMA verses in bold) – Exod 22:16; Lev 21:3, 14; Num 31:17; Deut 22:14, 19, 23, 28; 32:25; Judg 19:24; 21:11; 2Sam 13:2, 18; 1Kgs 1:2;  2Kgs 19:21; 2Chr 36:17; Isa 7:14; 23:12; 37:22; 47:1; 62:5; Jer 14:17; 18:13; 31:4, 21; 46:11; Lam 1:15; 2:13; Ezek 9:6, 23:3; Joel 1:8; Amos 5:2; Matt 1:23; Luke 1:27; 1Cor 7:28, 36, 38; 2Cor 11:2.

So obviously these translators didn’t like to use the word “damsel”. They had a preference for “the maiden”, but used “young woman” in our key passage of Isa 7:14.

In Numbers 31:17 the word in the Hebrew is a general word for woman (H802 נשׁים אשּׁה ‘ishshâh nâshı̂ym ish-shaw’, naw-sheem’ – woman, ish), and from the context they glossed (“having not known man”) into using the word virgin.

Deu 22:15, 19-20, 24, 26

This passage is clearly speaking of a virgin, but they

Bible in Basic English 1949/1964 (BBE) “young woman”

KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 young woman.

“alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 young girl; Pro 30:19 a girl; Song 1:3 young girls; Son 6:8 young girls; Isa 7:15 young woman. The BBE is also all over the place as far as translating alma. Again, Gen 24:43 they chose “virgin” when in the context that is not really clear. Did only virgins draw water? She was a young woman, and that is probably all we can say about it. The BBE does not even use “virgin” a single time in these passages except for Gen 24:43 where it is not absolutely clear how the servant could discern a woman drawing water to be a virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 46 times.
“maiden” – occurs 0 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 3 times.

What is extra-ordinary is that the word “virgin” occurs 46 times in the BBE. Examining some of these passages they decided on using virgin, for nah-ar-aw’ H5291. Naharaw means young woman. So in the case of alma in Isa 7:14, they went for “young woman”, and in Gen 24:16 they translated “young woman” “virgin”. This is difficult to rectify as to why they would flip-flop on translation/use of these two Hebrew words.

Some other places they used “virgin” – Gen 24:16; Exod 22:16; Lev 21:3, 14; Deut 22:14, 15, 17, 19-20, 23.29; 32:25; Judg 19:24; 2Sam 13:2,18: 1Kgs 1:2; 2Kgs 19:21; 2Chr 36:17; Job 31:1; Isa 23:12; 37:22; 47:1; 62:5; Jer 2:32; 14:17; 18:13; 31:4, 13, 21;46:11; 51:22; Lam 1:15; 2:13; Joel 1:8; Amos 5:2; Matt 1:23; Luke 1:27; 1Cor 7:34, 36-38.

Looking at the contexts of some of these passages, even the word nah-ar.aw’ would seem to be a legitimate word for translating it as “virgin”. For example those in bold above would seem to clearly speak of a woman not yet having had sex. In Judges 19:24, it is hard to see that concept in that passage. The multiple times nah-ar-aw’ is used for Israel, it can only be understood as a “Virgin”. “Young woman” doesn’t make much sense in these passages.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) “young woman”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 girls; Ex 2:8 the girl; Ps 68:25 girls; Pro 30:19 girl; Song 1:3 young women; Son 6:8 young women; Isa 7:15 young woman.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 35 times.
“maiden” – occurs 0 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 3 times.

Concordant Version (CLV) “damsel“

“alma” – Gen 24:43 damsel; Ex 2:8 damsel; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 damsel; Song 1:3damsel ; Son 6:8 damsel; Isa 7:15 damsel.
At least the CLV is consistent in how they translated the Hebrew word.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 40 times.
“maiden” – occurs 50 times.
“damsel” – occurs 9 times.
“young woman” – occurs 9 times.

Israeli Authorized Version (IAV) “the maiden”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgins; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 maiden.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 31 times.
“maiden” – occurs 31 times.
“damsel” – occurs 45 times.
“young woman” – occurs 1 times.

New Jerusalem Bible (Jerus) “young woman”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 girl; Ex 2:8 girl; Ps 68:25 girls; Pro 30:19 girl; Song 1:3 girl; Son 6:8 girls; Isa 7:15 young woman.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 32 times.
“maiden” – occurs 2 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 3 times.

The NET Bible® (NET) “young woman”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 young woman; Ex 2:8 young girl; Ps 68:25 young women; Pro 30:19 woman; Song 1:3 young women; Son 6:8 young women; Isa 7:15 young woman.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 38 times.
“maiden” – occurs 18 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 25 times.

The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witness) (NWT) “the maiden”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 maiden; Ex 2:8 maiden; Ps 68:25 maidens; Pro 30:19 maiden; Song 1:3 maiden; Son 6:8 maidens; Isa 7:15 maiden.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 36 times.
“maiden” – occurs 12 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 21 times.

Noyes Translation (Job – Re) – 1869 (NOYES) “the damsel”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 NA; Ex 2:8 NA; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgins; Son 6:8 maids; Isa 7:15 damsel.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 24 times.
“maiden” – occurs 16 times.
“damsel” – occurs 9 times.
“young woman” – occurs 0 times.

The Scriptures 1998 (TS98) “maiden”

“alma” – Gen 24:43 maiden; Ex 2:8 the girl; Ps 68:25 maidens; Pro 30:19 girl; Song 1:3 maidens; Son 6:8 maidens; Isa 7:15 maiden.
KJV – “alma” – Gen 24:43 virgin; Ex 2:8 maid; Ps 68:25 damsels; Pro 30:19 maid; Song 1:3 virgin; Son 6:8 virgins; Isa 7:15 virgin.

“virgin” – occurs 0 times.
“maiden” – occurs 78 times.
“damsel” – occurs 0 times.
“young woman” – occurs 23 times.

 Overview of Bibles Translating verses to use “Virgin”

• Gen 22:16 H1330 – AMP, BBE, CJB, CLV, Jerus, NET, NWT.
• Lev 21:3 H1330 – KJV, BBE, CJB, CLV, IAV, Jerus, NET, NWT
• Exod 22:16 –
• Lev 21:3 –
• Lev 21:14 –
• Num 31:17 –
• Deut 22:14 –
• Deut 22:19 –
• Deut 22:23 –
• Deut 22:28 –
• Deut 32:25 –
• Judg 19:24 –
• Judg 21:11 –
• 2Sam 13:2 –
• 2Sam 13:18 –
• 1Kgs 1:2 –
• 2Kgs 19:21 –
• 2Chr 36:17 –
• Isa 7:14 –
• Isa 23:12 –
• Isa 37:22 –
• Isa 47:1 –
• Isa 62:5 –
• Jer 14:17 –
• Jer 18:13 –
• Jer 31:4 –
• Jer 31:21 –
• Jer 46:11 –
• Lam 1:15 –
• Lam 2:13 –
• Ezek 9:6 –
• Ezek 23:3 –
• Joel 1:8 –
• Amos 5:2 –
• Matt 1:23 –
• Luke 1:27 –
• 1Cor 7:28 –
• 1Cor 7:36 –
• 1Cor 7:38 –
• 2Cor 11:2 –
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• Bible Compare Isa 7:14 virgin

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