Isaiah 7:14 and the new translation of "virgin" in that passage to "young woman"

In a David Goldman (Spengler) post at PJ Media, I entered the following comment when some remarks were made that Isaiah 7:14 really should be translated to "a young woman" and not "a virgin." Somehow, the next day, my post had vanished. I re-enetered it. 

Here it is:

Hope you don't mind me wishing you (and everyone) a Happy St. David's Day, Mr. Goldman (well, it's past that now, here in Hungary; times flies).

Re: Isaiah 7:14 referring to "a young woman".

This reminds me of the scholar(s?) who pointed out about a "needle" as in Mark 10:25 / Matthew 19:24 really meant a narrow city gate. Apparently narrow city gates were sometimes called "needles".

Maybe. But of course, that trashes the scene's meaning completely. You can get a camel through a narrow city gate; you may have to unload its baggage, but it is doable. Yet in the passages, the disciples are "astonished" (surprised/shocked/concerned), and say, "Then who can be saved?" That reaction indicates Yehoshu'a (Joshua/Jesus) meant "needle" as in the sewing implement.

Or again, in the Gospel of John, chapter 6, "Yahweh is salvation" ("Yehoshu'a") says a profound and bizarre shocker: one must eat His Body and drink His Blood or one doesn't have (eternal) life within one -- Protestants assert He was speaking metaphorically. Maybe so. But of course in the scene, this shocking statement leads to most of His followers decamping from Him forthwith. Yet He didn't run after them, yelling, "Hey, I was speaking metaphorically!" He just let 'em vote with their feet.

Same again with the "young woman" and not a "virgin" translation of Isaiah 7:14. Maybe. But the context is high drama: Enemies of Judah have allied with Ephraim, northern Israelites! And together the new allies are boasting how they're going to shred Judah to pieces! And the people of Judah are quaking in great fear, indeed.

Isaiah is thus reading ol' Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Juda, the riot act because Isaiah had just told Ahaz the invasion would fail and Ahaz needed to ask the Lord for a sign for that but Ahaz responded, "Nope, I won't but the Lord to the test." That did it. Ahaz's comment "triggered" Isaiah to unleash on the king. And this is where the birth of Immanuel is prophesied and were this Immanuel (עִמָּנוּאֵל 'Immanu'el) meaning "God is with us" to be merely to be born of a young woman, well, so what?

It's kinda of a pointless note to make. Most babies then were born of young women. Most babies are born of young women now, I should guess, around the world. Hardly a surprise statement or something to assert in such a tense "Game of Thrones" situation.

So maybe that's the right translation: "young woman", but considering the context, and the nature of the prophecy: "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign!" -- That's what we Irish would call a "right gobsmackin'".

Considering all that, I have me doubts.

Have a grand weekend!

An Préacháin