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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Ahaz of Judah is terrified by a coalition threatening Jerusalem. When he refuses to ask for a sign, God gives the sign of Immanuel as both immediate assurance and lasting promise.
What Does Isaiah 7:14 Mean?
Isaiah 7:14 announces a God-given sign: a son will be born and named Immanuel, "God with us." The word is spoken to King Ahaz of Judah, who faces invasion and refuses to ask God for a sign. So the Lord gives one Himself, declaring that the very presence of God will be made known through a child whose name carries the whole promise.
The name is the heart of the verse. Immanuel means God is with His people -- not a distant deity but a present help in their crisis. The Gospel of Matthew takes up this prophecy and proclaims its fullness in the birth of Jesus to a virgin, presenting Him as the One in whom God draws near to humanity. The verse holds together both the immediate comfort to a frightened nation and a horizon that opens far beyond Ahaz's day. Scripture invites the reader to see how this sign reaches its deepest meaning. What remains certain in every reading is the steadfast pledge at the center: God will not abandon His people. The sign of Immanuel assures that, even when kings tremble and armies gather, the living God is near to save.
In the Original Language
"Virgin" renders the Hebrew almah, a young woman of marriageable age; the Greek translation used parthenos, a virgin. "Immanuel" combines immanu (with us) and El (God).
Cross References
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
- Matthew 1:23
“and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.”
- Isaiah 8:8
“and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
- Matthew 28:20
Application
When fear surrounds you, hold to the name Immanuel: God has promised to be with His people, near to save rather than distant.