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Isaiah 7:14Immanuel sign
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
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Interpretation

The prophet calls a immanuel that is worked out in solitude and community in Isaiah 7:14—look for "therefore" and "lord". Align immanuel with time and attention—bind joy to obedience.

Context

Isaiah speaks here as prophetic oracle writing, developing immanuel. Read in Isaiah 7, its force becomes clearer. It also intersects prophetic hope & judgment. Listen for “therefore” alongside “lord”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Isaiah to Isaiah son of Amoz. Many scholars judge Isaiah as follows: Many propose layered composition across exilic and post‑exilic periods.. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. Genre and setting: prophetic oracle, in the Immanuel sign. This verse leans into prophetic hope & judgment. Imagery of wilderness and highway speaks restoration. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). A long compositional arc is often proposed (Proto/Deutero/Trito).

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Hebrew text is preserved in the Masoretic tradition, stabilized between the 6th-10th centuries CE. The the Dead Sea Scrolls (found 1947-1956) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not affect the core meaning. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the probably reflects the initial text text.
Sources & witness notes
MT
Cross References1
  • Matthew 1:23
    "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel," which is, being interpreted, "God with us."
    CuratedImmanuel prophecy applied (Matt 1:23)