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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
the LORD*. One of the 134 passages where Jehovah, in the primitive text, was altered by the Sopherim to "Adonai". See App-32.
a virgin. Hebrew the virgin: i.e. some definite well-known damsel, whose identity was then unmistakable, though unknown to us. See Mat_1:21-23, Luk_1:31. See App-101.
virgin = damsel. Hebrew. ha-'almah. It occurs seven times (Gen_24:43. Exo_2:8. Psa_68:25. Pro_21:19. Son_1:3; Son_6:8, and Isa_7:14). The Hebrew for virgin (in our technical sense) is bethulah, and occurs fifty times (2 x 52, see App-10). Its first occurrence is Gen_24:16, where, compared with Isa_7:43, it shows that while every Bethulah is indeed an Almah, yet not every Almah is a Bethulah. The prophecy does not lose its Messianic character, for Mary, in whom it was fulfilled, is designated by the same holy inspiring Spirit as "parthenos" (not gune). As a sign to Ahaz this damsel was an almah. As a sign, when the prophecy was fulfilled (or filled full), it was Mary, the parthenos or virgin.
shall conceive, and bear = is pregnant and beareth. Reference to Pentateuch. The two words occur together only here, Gen_16:11, and Jdg_13:5, Jdg_13:7; and Isa_7:12 shows that birth was imminent. Perhaps the Almah was "Abi" (2Ki_18:2; 2Ch_29:1), but the son was not necessarily Hezekiah. See App-101.
Immanuel = "GOD ('El) with us". Most codices, and six early printed editions, give it as two words. Some, with two early printed editions, as one word.