

Names similar to Immanuel:

  • Immanuel - God is with us
  • Jekuthiel - God will support
  • Ezekiel - God will strenthen


If it was to be taken literal then why wasn't it:

"And he was Immanuel"

But rather it was

"and they shall call his name Emmanuel".

Paraphrase of Isaiah 7:14 -


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    @IdrisAtmani The evidence is documented in the twenty seven books in the Greek language, written by nine authors, commonly called 'The New Testament'. – Nigel J Jun 28 '19 at 11:34
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    @IdrisAtmani Jesus said 'I and my Father - are One'. [John 10:30, KJV.] – Nigel J Jun 28 '19 at 16:35






Regarding the context of Isaiah 7:14:











Cheers, Dominik


A "name" (Heb. shem) in Biblical Hebrew (if not still some modern Semitic languages like Arabic or Syriac) had much less to do with the letters or form of the name—the word—and much more to do with its meaning with regard to the person. Namely, the name functioned to designate the identity of the person, rather than, in English and other European-style languages, being a mere form without meaning (or having no real connection to the person's identity or background as peculiar to them specifically).

The fact that Matthew, who cites the angel saying He is to be given the name of Jesus (Heb. Yeshua), cites this prophecy, only proves this general truth about the Hebrew language. In citing the prophecy that "He they shall call his name Immanuel," He intends to convey nothing more and nothing less than that the birth (all things things came to pass"—the birth narrative; Mt. 1:22-23) of Jesus constituted the fulfillment: God is born among us. As the Old Testament frequently predicts elsewhere:



Which Jesus applied to Himself directly, as being the Lord speaking here:

Matthew 11:10 For this is he [i.e. John the Baptist] of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

Cf. Zech 2:10.

Matthew goes on proving the divinity of Christ, by citing Micah 5:



This prophecy went farther, and said:

...whose going forth is from times past: even from the days of eternity.

But citations to Jews went so far as to serve the immediate context: the rest of the context was familiar and assumed by the hearers or readers.

As to the word "virgin" (since it seems to always creep into the discussion), the word almah doesn't only mean "young woman," as later writers claim, but comes from the etymological root elem meaning to "conceal" or "hide" (as in what virgin women or girls were before marriage), and refers to a woman unknown by—and kept from—man, hence the prophetical value of an almah conceiving, as being a "sign" or miracle. It is, in fact, a better word than betulah (sexually unknown), as betulah could mean "a new mother," whereas "almah" cannot, but means a woman conceiving who is currently not known by man (i.e. which implies an unmarried woman without explicit context like Matthew 1 or Luke 1:34, where a virginal marriage is indicated, but which marriage nonetheless has children: the end of marriage).

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