Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (New International Version Christian Bible translation).
Who is Immanuel?
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Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/43708/170– msh210 ♦Dec 12, 2020 at 18:26
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3Note that your translation is wrong. The translation is the young woman who is now pregnant Thus the sign is that a young woman who is known to the prophet is currently pregnant and will bear a son that she will call Immanu-el (Hashem is with us). Before the child is two or three years old the enemy that you are now facing will be destroyed.– sabbahillelDec 13, 2020 at 4:50
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Does this answer your question? If a virgin birth actually disqualifies a Messianic candidate, how then should Isaiah 7:14 be interpreted?– Kazi bácsiDec 14, 2020 at 19:57
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1 Answer
There are a few views in the commentaries; it really depends on the identity of the mother, who, I should note, is not considered a virgin in Judaism, as the term "עלמה" - "almah" in Hebrew means "young woman", while the Hebrew word for "virgin" is "בתולה" - "betulah", which doesn't appear in the Hebrew verse.
According to Rashi, whose view is also quoted by the Abarbanel, and so also say Chomat Anach, Ibn Ezra and Malbim, the young woman is the wife of Isaiah and therefore Immanu-el is the son of Isaiah.
According to a second view brought by the Abarbanel, Metzudat David and Radak, the young woman is the wife of King Achaz and therefore Immanu-el is the son of Achaz.
A third view mentioned by the Abarbanel is that the young woman is the daughter of King Achaz and therefore Immanu-el is the grandson of Achaz.
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Wait, you mean it's not referring to someone born literally hundreds of years later who couldn't possibly be giving a sign to Achaz as the verse clearly indicates the child is supposed to be doing?????????– YehudaOct 11, 2021 at 13:59