Christophe Rico

The Mother of the Infant King, Isaiah 7:14: Alma and Parthenos in the World of the Bible: A Linguistic Perspective Christophe Rico

Jerusalem, around 735 BC. Two armies threaten the Holy City to overthrow the dynasty of David. Ahaz, king of Judah, is consumed by fear and worry. Then the prophet Isaiah delivers his message: the 'alma is pregnant, she bears a son, and gives him the name Emmanuel. What is the meaning of the word 'alma? Without doubt more has been written on the interpretation of this term than on any other verse in the Old Testament. Is it a question of a virgin, as claimed by the fathers of the church, or of a young woman, as asserted by the majority of modern scholars?