The following are the various ways I study this verse, trying to understand the change to "young woman" in modern versions like the NRSV & REB, etc.
Therefore the Lord Himself giveth to you a sign, Lo, the Virgin is conceiving, And is bringing forth a son, And hath called his name Immanuel, (Isa 7:14 YLT)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and you shall name him Emmanouel. (Isa 7:14 LXXE) *The up-to-date English translation of the Septuagint
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. (Isa 7:14 NRSVue)
Strong's H5959 'almah "a lass (as veiled or private) -- damsel, maid, virgin"
BDB Definition
1) virgin, young woman
1a) of marriageable age
1b) maid or newly married
Total KJV Occurrences: 7
maid, 2
Exo 2:8, Pro 30:19
virgin, 2
Gen 24:43, Isa 7:14
virgins, 2
Son 1:3, Son 6:8
damsels, 1
Psa 68:25
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, 'God is with us.'” (Mat 1:23 NRSVue)
The Hebrew word 'almah (עַלְמָה) is most commonly translated as "young woman" or "maiden." It appears in the Old Testament primarily to refer to a young woman of marriageable age, and while it often implies virginity, it does not explicitly denote it. The more precise term for "virgin" in Hebrew is betulah (בְּתוּלָה), which occurs frequently in the Hebrew Bible and unequivocally refers to a virgin.
Dynamic equivalence is an approach to Bible translation that aims to convey the meaning and intent of the original text in natural, idiomatic language of the target audience, rather than strictly adhering to the original wording.
Formal equivalence aims to translate the original text as closely as possible to the original language, often referred to as a word-for-word translation. It seeks to preserve the grammatical structure, word order, and individual words of the original text in the target language?
The Septuagint used Dynamic equivalence translation for "virgin" in Isa. 7:14.
The RSV, etc. used Formal equivalence translation from the Hebrew 'almah "young woman".
The RSV, NRSV, etc., seek to translate minus the Christian interpretation, merely as the words read in a Formal equivalence translation.
MATTHEW, UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ENDORSED THE SEPTUAGINT AS CORRECT. THE SEPTUAGINT IS NOT A MISTRANSLATION.
Therefore the Lord Himself giveth to you a sign, Lo, the Virgin is conceiving, And is bringing forth a son, And hath called his name Immanuel, (Isa 7:14 YLT)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and you shall name him Emmanouel. (Isa 7:14 LXXE) *The up-to-date English translation of the Septuagint
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. (Isa 7:14 NRSVue)
Strong's H5959 'almah "a lass (as veiled or private) -- damsel, maid, virgin"
BDB Definition
1) virgin, young woman
1a) of marriageable age
1b) maid or newly married
Total KJV Occurrences: 7
maid, 2
Exo 2:8, Pro 30:19
virgin, 2
Gen 24:43, Isa 7:14
virgins, 2
Son 1:3, Son 6:8
damsels, 1
Psa 68:25
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, 'God is with us.'” (Mat 1:23 NRSVue)
The Hebrew word 'almah (עַלְמָה) is most commonly translated as "young woman" or "maiden." It appears in the Old Testament primarily to refer to a young woman of marriageable age, and while it often implies virginity, it does not explicitly denote it. The more precise term for "virgin" in Hebrew is betulah (בְּתוּלָה), which occurs frequently in the Hebrew Bible and unequivocally refers to a virgin.
Dynamic equivalence is an approach to Bible translation that aims to convey the meaning and intent of the original text in natural, idiomatic language of the target audience, rather than strictly adhering to the original wording.
Formal equivalence aims to translate the original text as closely as possible to the original language, often referred to as a word-for-word translation. It seeks to preserve the grammatical structure, word order, and individual words of the original text in the target language?
The Septuagint used Dynamic equivalence translation for "virgin" in Isa. 7:14.
The RSV, etc. used Formal equivalence translation from the Hebrew 'almah "young woman".
The RSV, NRSV, etc., seek to translate minus the Christian interpretation, merely as the words read in a Formal equivalence translation.
MATTHEW, UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ENDORSED THE SEPTUAGINT AS CORRECT. THE SEPTUAGINT IS NOT A MISTRANSLATION.
