Bible Fact · 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.'
The Virgin Birth Prophecy
The Fact
Isaiah 7:14 reads: 'Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.' The Hebrew word used is 'almah' (עַלְמָה), which means 'young woman' and typically implies an unmarried woman of marriageable age (and therefore virgin). When the Jewish scholars translated the Old Testament into Greek (the Septuagint, around 250 BC), they chose the Greek word 'parthenos' — which specifically and unambiguously means 'virgin.' Matthew 1:23 quotes the Septuagint version to explain Mary's conception. The passage had a near-term fulfillment in Isaiah's own day (Isaiah 7–8 describes a child named Immanuel as a sign to King Ahaz), but Matthew sees a deeper, ultimate fulfillment in the virgin birth of Jesus. This 'double fulfillment' pattern — a near-term sign that also points forward to a greater messianic reality — is a recognized feature of prophetic literature.
Context
The virgin birth is historically attested by both Matthew and Luke (writing independently) and implies that Jesus had no human biological father — making him fully human through Mary while simultaneously being the eternal Son of God.
Significance
The virgin birth is not primarily about biology — it is a theological declaration: Jesus is fully human (born of woman) and fully divine (conceived by the Holy Spirit). Two natures, one person, one Savior.
Reflection
The virgin birth means Jesus entered humanity from the outside — God reaching into creation, not creation reaching up to God. How does that directionality change how you understand salvation?