Prophecy about Mary? Or a misunderstanding?
A Jewish take on a much-discussed verse.
One of the most quoted verses from the book of Isaiah in Christian circles is Isaiah 7:14. According to many, it would be an announcement of the virgin birth of Jesus by Mary. But is this correct according to the Hebrew? And what does Jewish tradition teach about this passage?
In this blog, we scrutinise the verse - word for word, in context, and with reverence - and explain why it is not a messianic prophecy according to Judaism.
What does it really say in Isaiah 7:14?
לָ֠כֵן יִתֵּ֨ן אֲדֹנָ֥י ה֛וּא לָכֶ֖ם א֑וֹת הִנֵּ֣ה הָֽעַלְמָ֗ה הָרָה֙ וְיֹלֶ֣דֶת בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥את שְׁמ֖וֹ עִמָּ֥נוּ אֵֽל:
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the young woman is pregnant and will bear a son, and she will give him the name Immanu-El."
Most Christian Bibles translate the word הָעַלְמָה (ha'almah) as "the virgin". This is consistent with the teaching of the virgin birth of Jesus, as described in the gospel of Matthew (1:23), which quotes this verse from the Greek Septuagint.
In that translation, "almah" is rendered as παρθένος (parthenos), a word that can mean both young woman and virgin. Christian theology then applied this to Mary.
What does Judaism say?
The Jewish interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 differs in three essential ways:
- "Almah" means young woman, not a virgin
The Hebrew word עַלְמָה (almah) simply means young woman of marriageable age.
The word for virgin is בְּתוּלָה (betulah) - and Isaiah emphatically does not use that.
So there is no reason to assume a virgin birth in the Hebrew text.
- The context is local, not messianic
Isaiah speaks here to King Achaz, who fears a military attack by Aram and Ephraim. Hashem offers him a sign that will take place within a short time: a young woman will become pregnant, give birth to a child, and before the child reaches adulthood, the enemy kings will be gone.
The name "Immanu-El" - G-d is with us - is a sign of hope, not of a future Messiah.
So this prophecy referred to Isaiah's time, not to an event 700 years later.
- Messiah does not come from a virgin
According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah is a human being, not a divine being.
He is a descendant of King David through the paternal line (Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 23).
There is no Torah source that speaks of a virgin birth or a "god-man".
The virgin birth is a theological concept outside Judaism and also goes against the Messiah's principles of unity and humanity.
Why is this important?
Judaism teaches that the Torah does not change and does not require new revelations. The difference between the Jewish and Christian readings of Isaiah 7:14 shows how language, context and belief system influence interpretation.
For Jews, the text of the Tanakh is sacred and unchanged, and Isaiah's words remain a powerful testimony to Hashem's nearness - not to a future incarnation, but to G-d's commitment to His people in all times.
Written by Sarah Bakker
Did you enjoy this article? Like and spread the word further!
© Copyright, all rights reserved.
