The Prophet Isaiah, by the Word of the Lord, stated the following prophecy concerning the one who would be the mother of Immanuel.
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel…”
— Isaiah 7:14
There has been some controversy in the religious world over this Hebrew term, almah, here translated as “virgin.” The term, almah, as defined by the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Dictionary as, “virgin, young woman. 1a) of marriageable age. 1b) maid or newly married.”
Does Scripture Define Mary as a Virgin?
Therefore, it is a general term describing a young woman of a certain age, who could be either newly married (not a virgin) or still unmarried (a virgin). Some translations have controversially translated almah, in Isaiah 7:14 as “young woman.”
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel…”
— Isaiah 7:14 (New Revised Standard Version)
This prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew 1:18-25 with Mary’s conception and the birth of Jesus. The New Testament clearly indicates that Mary was a virgin.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together*, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. …
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.
— Matthew 1:18, 25
(New Revised Standard Version)
Does the NRSV indicate that Mary was a virgin? Some have the misconception that the NRSV does in fact deny that she was a virgin, because of how it translated Isaiah 7:14. But notice how the NRSV translates Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel when he declared that she would conceive.
Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be since I am a virgin*?
— Luke 1:34 New Revised Standard Version
While the translation of the word almah into “young woman” is a valid translation in certain contexts, it likely is not a valid translation here. Yet, since the same translation indicates from Mary’s own words that she was in fact a virgin, it is clear that there can be no misconception as to the progeny of the Son of God.
*Bold for emphasis by Jack W. McNiel
