Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Isaiah announces that Yahweh himself will give a sign even though Ahaz does not want one. The word Therefore is an important marker that shows the new direction the dialogue is taking. It may be rendered “Since you won’t ask” or “Even so.” Good News Translation and Bible en français courant say “Well then,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “in any case.” The Lord is not the divine name Yahweh, but the title meaning “my master” (see 1.2). The Lord is followed by an independent pronoun, so it is literally “my Lord he.” This pronoun stresses the Lord’s determination in the face of the king’s unwillingness. Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others render it as a reflexive pronoun, saying himself. Revised English Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh have “of his own accord.” The pronoun you is plural.

The sign to be given is a living one. Like Isaiah’s own children whose names carry God’s message (see 7.3 and 8.1), yet another child with a special name will become a living symbol. It is possible this child was Isaiah’s son (see Isa 7.3). Each time Ahaz sees this child he will be reminded of Yahweh’s promise. It is obvious that the sign here is intended for Ahaz since the child is to be born shortly.

Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son …: Some Christians think the prophet’s words here are a Messianic prediction since they are quoted in Matt 1.23. Commentators can be divided into two groups. Some favor a strictly Old Testament translation and interpretation, that is, they render the text according to the clear requirements of Hebrew syntax and vocabulary. Others prefer a rendering that favors a New Testament interpretation in which a virgin will conceive and give birth to the Messiah. We recommend that translators focus on the Hebrew text as it is, and try to understand and translate its meaning independently of the New Testament’s use of the text. (This is a translation principle that we follow throughout—always render the Old Testament text as it is.)

Before we look at the details of the last sentence in this verse, it may be useful to list three issues that need to be clarified:
1. Should the Hebrew noun ʿalmah be rendered “virgin” or “young woman”?
2. Should it be “a [virgin/young woman]” or “the…”?
3. Should the first verb be rendered “has conceived” or “will conceive”?

An additional problem is to identify the particular woman and child that Isaiah has in mind when he gives this sign from the LORD. We will deal with each of these issues below.

Behold calls Ahaz’s attention to an important announcement. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “Look,” while New Jerusalem Bible says “It is this.” Other versions (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) do not translate it, assuming it is implied in the prophet’s words.

Two comments need to be made about a young woman. First, the Hebrew text has “the young woman,” not just any young woman. New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, and others render it this way and they are clearly correct in doing so. The definite article suggests that both Ahaz and Isaiah knew the woman and she may even have been in sight at the time Isaiah was speaking. Second, young woman renders the Hebrew noun here accurately. It is a term that can be applied to any young woman who is of an age to be married, not a very young girl. The Hebrew text does not indicate whether she was married or not, and it is even less concerned with whether she was a virgin or not. The controversy about the translation of this Hebrew noun arose because the Septuagint translated it with a Greek word meaning “virgin.” This Greek text is quoted in Matt 1.23. So we should avoid versions that place the word “virgin” in their text (Contemporary English Version, New International Version), sometimes adding a footnote to indicate that it is not the most accurate rendering (so Contemporary English Version).

Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Bible en français courant, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch render the Hebrew verb for conceive with a future tense. New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and New Jerusalem Bible say “is with child,” which indicates that the young woman is already pregnant (similarly Good News Translation). The Hebrew verb form here describes a condition that already exists, so New Revised Standard Version is more accurate than Revised Standard Version by saying she has conceived a child already. For a young woman shall conceive, Contemporary English Version translates “A virgin is pregnant,” but this kind of rendering is not recommended.

A different Hebrew verb form is used for the verb rendered bear. It is a participle, a form that often speaks of something about to happen. Although it can be rendered sometimes with a future tense in English, it carries a more immediate sense of something that could happen very soon. The Hebrew word for son can also mean more generally “child,” but son is the better rendering here.

And shall call his name Immanu-el: The Hebrew verb form here changes for a third time. This time it carries a more future orientation, indicating something that will happen. The mother will name her child. The name Immanu-el is significant. It is literally “with-us God,” meaning “God is with us.” His name carries the message of God’s presence with his people. This is the message Isaiah is bringing to King Ahaz. The child about to be born will be a living sign to King Ahaz that God will be with him and with the nation to protect them all.

For a discussion on how to treat certain personal names in this book, see Isa 7.3. If translators choose to transliterate the name Immanu-el, then they should give its meaning in a footnote. If they actually translate it, then it would be helpful to have a transliteration of the original name in a footnote. Because of the importance of both the Hebrew name as well as its meaning here, Bible en français courant (also Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) has the name as well as its translation in the text: “She will name him Immanuel, ‘God with us.’” This is a valid approach here.

Some models for the translation of this verse are:

• Since you won’t ask, my Lord himself is going to give you a sign. Look! A young woman is pregnant and will soon give birth to a son. She will call the child Immanuel, ‘God is with us.’

• Even so, my Lord will give you a sign anyway! See that young woman! She is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will call him Immanuel, that is, ‘God is with us.’

For this verse translators may have to consider church tradition, if there is one, including earlier translations of this book in the receptor language. Earlier renderings may have been influenced by its quotation in Matt 1.23. So if the new translation differs from the old and familiar one, there may well be some strong reaction against it in the church. Nevertheless, in the interests of accuracy, the above translation examples should be used as models. They are similar to Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible. If necessary, a traditional translation with the necessary explanations can be included in a footnote.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .