The Isaiah Scroll - Part 1 of 2 - Isaiah 7:14

An exercise in Textual Criticism. An examination of Isaiah 7:14 from the Masoretic text, Isaiah scroll and the Septuagint. Also an examination of Isaiah 9:6 from the King James Version, the Masoretic text and the Isaiah scroll.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• kjv
• only
• king
• james
• version
• masoretic
• text
• isaiah
• scroll
• lxx
• greek
• septuagint
• 7:14
• 9:6
• textual
• criticism
• virgin
• maiden
• almah
• betulah
• parthenos
• adonai
• lord
• kurios
• yhwh
• yhvh
• yahweh
• immanuel
• emmanuel
• imanu'el
• emanu'el
• wonderful
• counselor
• mighty
• god
• everlasting
• father
• prince
• of
• peace
• pele
• yo'ets
• el
• gibor
• aviy
• ad
• sar
• shalom

[egwpisteuw]

Great video. However, I have to disagree with the עלמה vs בתולה distinction. These are synonyms and both can mean virgin or young woman (maiden). It depends on the context. In Is 7:14, the context clearly means a virgin, otherwise the verse is rendered meaningless, for it cannot be an אות unless it is a virgin. The the Elders who translated the Septuagint were reading עלמה and tranlsated it correctly as παρθένος.

[ancienthebreworg]

@egwpisteuw Thank you, and I agree that these two Hebrew words are synonyms and it all comes down to interpretation based on context. The question is, is the sign an almah giving birth or a child being born named Immanuel. With the former you are correct, almah must be understood as a virgin. But if it is the latter, then almah can be just a young woman and not a virgin.

[MrSuperEman]

i got a question, hopefully it's answered, what is the different between "mighty one" or "almighty?"

[ancienthebreworg]

@MrSuperEman The Hebrew word אל (el) means mighty or a mighty one. The English word "All Mighty" or Almighty is a translation/interpretation of the Hebrew El Shaddai which literally means "my mighty breasts." I guess the translators thought breasts was to risque so they sanitized it :-)

[tomopotamus]

Could it be possible that the Septuagint translated the word as "virign" because that is what the Jewish people at that time saw the verse/prophecy as meaing? Just a thought I had during the video.

[ancienthebreworg]

@tomopotamus Yes, the is a very real possibility.

[medievalman86]

no, Isa 7:14 is fulfilled in the subsequent chapters of Isa...... you think im misreading Genesis.. try reading Isa Chapter 7-9... the xian interpretation is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out of context there...

[MrViTopol]

@ancienthebreworg the seer simply tells the king : '' mighty one will give you a sign, and a maiden ( from your harem) gets pregnant and give you a child, and you (king) will exclame : el is with us (the king 's way of saying ''with me''). this little seer's nugget is intended to cheer up the depressed and sick king giving the old fart a solace he'd still bang one of his harem concubines (''alma''), gets a baby and in amazement he (the king) mumbles - el is with us (with me)...

[andregaucho1]

@egwpisteuw I agree, we also must have in mind that the Septuagint was written by Greek speaking Hebrews

[pretoshohmoofc]

Do you know why the Hebrew Scribes translated maiden in the Hebrew into the Septuagint as virgin?

Answer: Because they knew what it meant.

Do you know why the first century Jews translated Isaiah 7:14 into Matt 1:26 as virgin?

Answer: Because these first century Jews ALSO, knew what it meant.

[Asherite8]

@ancienthebreworg I'm sorry, but if you reasearch "almah" in the Hebrew text, as well as the Aramaic Targums and Peshita, you'll see that it actually refers to a YOUNG VIRGIN that still resides with her parents, or is completely untouched by men. Furthermore, the Masorets changed the name "YHWH" to "adonai" in 134 places within the Hebrew text. -Y'shiahu 7:14 was just one of them. Please research a little more before posting such information as to not cause spiritual confusion. Shalom akhi.

[egwpisteuw]

@Surfxeo Thanks for your comment. I am actually just about to do a video on this--I've been planning to do one for a while. The crux of my video will be that Gen 24 refers to Rebekah as both a בתולה (bethulah) in Gen 24:16 and an עלמה (almah) in Gen 24:43 both of which are translated as παρθένος (parthenos) in the Septuagint. I see this as irrefutable linguistic proof that the the two Hebrew words are synonyms. You have provided the correct cultural proof.

[Surfxeo]

@egwpisteuw I also agree with you. Especially taken in context with the books of Moses where we find the law. The culture of the early Hebrews was very strict when it came to following holiness. Adultary and fornication could be capital punishments so this enforced the concept of a young maiden being virgin because otherwise she and the offender could punished severly. Young maiden is therefore always virgin.

[egwpisteuw]

@ancienthebreworg I see your point. If the child being born Immanuel is the sign then the verse is parallel to Isaiah 9:6.

My opinion is that the sign is actually both the Virgin Birth AND the child being born Immanuel. I think that Matthew's explantion of Isiaih 7:14 in Matthew 1:18-25 brings out both aspects: The child is conceived of God the Holy Spirit and thus the sensus plenior of "Immanuel = God with Us" and that Mary was a virgin.