CHAPTER
III
LINGUISTIC
STUDY
A brief look at Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 7:13-25 has been chosen for exegesis
because it presents one of the most difficult text in the Bible. In doing
literary analysis we need to understand the background of book, such as: the
author, the addressees, the date, and the purpose. The author of this book is
clearly stated in the prologue of the letter; he is the prophet Isaiah. [1]
To whom it was addressed is to Ahaz (735–715 B.C.) particularly[2]
and to all Judah generally. It is important
to note that the words “to you” Heb.לכֶ֖ם of verse 14 is in plural form instead of
singular particle (preposition suffix 2nd person masculine plural).[3] One
can infer that, from studying the text shows the
recipients of this sign was not Ahaz alone for
all Judah.
Variant text of Isaiah 7:14
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TAR
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בְכֵין יִתֵין
יוי הֻוא לְכוֹן אָתָא הָא עֻולֵימְתָא מְעַדְיָא וּתלִיד בַר וְתִקרֵי שְׁמֵיה
עִמָנֻו־אֵל׃
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WTT
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לָ֠כֵן יִתֵּ֙ן
אֲדֹנָ֥י ה֛וּא לָכֶ֖ם א֑וֹת הִנֵּ֣ה הָעַלְמָ֗ה הָרָה֙ וְיֹלֶ֣דֶת בֵּ֔ן
וְקָרָ֥את שְׁמ֖וֹ עִמָּ֥נוּ אֵֽל׃
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LXX
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διὰ τοῦτο δώσει κύριος αὐτὸς ὑμῖν σημεῖον ἰδοὺ ἡ
παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ
Εμμανουηλ
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Variants Translation of Isaiah 7:14
KJV |
KJV Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
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NAS |
NAS Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:
Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His
name Immanuel.
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RSV |
RSV Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
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LXE |
LXE Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and
thou shalt call his name Emmanuel.
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Syntactical connection of א֑וֹת (‘ot), עַלְמָ֗ה (‘almah), הָרָה֙ (harah), and עִמָּ֥נוּאֵֽל
(‘imanu'el ) within the context
1. Studying biblical use of א֑וֹת (‘ot)
In
Biblical the Hebrew word א֑וֹת refers to something addressed to the
senses to attest the
existence of
divine power. Often extraordinary events were given as a sign to assure faith
or to
demonstrate authority. Many opinions have been expressed as to the significance
of
the "sign" in
this passage. Here are some various of the אוֹת
applications.
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Hebrew Term
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Meaning
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Reference
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א֑וֹת
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A sign to determine times
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Genesis 1:14
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An emblem, an insignia
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Numbers 2:2
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Sign
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Isaiah 7:14; 38 25
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An example
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Isaiah 19:20
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A marvelous deeds
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Isaiah 44:25
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2. The study of word עַלְמָ֗ה (almah)
The
meaning of עַלְמָ֗ה (almah) has been an endless debates between Jews and Christian. It deals with
the question how to translate עַלְמָ֗ה (almah) as in Masoretic Text and LXX. What does עַלְמָ֗ה (almah)
mean and to whom עַלְמָ֗ה (almah) refer?. According to
BDB., עַלְמָ֗ה denotes to a “young women” who sexually ripe, either a maid or
newly married,[4]
And according to Benjamin Davidson this
word means a maiden, virgin, marriageable but not married. [5] Eventhough
the meaning of ‘almah has been much debated, but all agree that it at
least means a girl or young woman above the age of childhood who has arrived at
sexual maturity. Many scholar said that it is learly mean “virgin” as LXX used παρθένος for עַלְמָ֗ה in Isaiah 7:14. One of
the scholar who stand for this was Kaiser. He believed that עַלְמָ֗ה means virgin and the use of in LXX suppot this translation because παρθένος has a specific meaning of virgin. [6]
. However when one study the words of עַלְמָ֗ה, the meaning will be various. There are nine times word of עַלְמָ֗ה Appers in Old
Testament.
[1]The SDA Bible Commentary,
v.4 (Washington D.C., Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1976) P.16
[2]Isaiah 7:3
[3]Bible Works 8, accessed Mei
12, 2012. As to commentators interpretations of the meaning
[4]Brown F., S. Driver and C.
Briggs. עַלְמָ֗ה" “ in Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. (Massachusetts,
Hendrickson. 1996), p.761
[5]Benjamin Davidson. The
Analitical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon. (Massachusetts,
Hendrickson. 1996), p.601
[6]Kaiser, the Messiah in Old
Testament p. 160.
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