Etymologically, ’almāh is derived from a word which means “to be sexually strong, sexually mature, sexually ripe or ready.” This would seem to emphasize the age of the woman (pubescent) rather than indicating whether she was sexually active. Cyrus Gorodon has argued that ancient (pre-Mosaic_ Ugaritic, which is cognate to Hebrew, used the word parallel to ’almāh of a virgin goddess. Since the Ugaritic annunciation formula used a very similar construction to Isa 7:14, Gordon concluded that ’almāh should rightly be translated “virgin.” Furthermore, many have maintained that the Septuagint translation of ’almāh with the Greek word parthenos (“virgin”) is evidence that in the pre-Christian era, the word was understood as referring to virginity.

The best way to determine the meaning of ’almāh is by examining the usage throughout the Hebrew Bible. If there were a place in Scripture where it clear refers to a non-virgin, it would widen the range of meaning to make it possible that it might refer to a non-virgin in Isa 7:14. However, in every situation the word is used either of a virgin or in an indeterminate, neutral sense.

Genesis 24:43. Here Rebekah, the son-to-be-wise of Isaac, is called an ’almāh. This chapter of Genesis describes Rebekah as a “girl” (na’ǎrāh). This chapter of Genesis describes Rebekah as a “girl” (na’ǎrāh, 24:14), a virgin (bětûlāh, 24:16) and a maiden (’almāh, 24:43). These three synonyms are used to describe a virginal young woman.

Exodus 2:8. In this passage, Miriam, the sister of Moses, is called an ’almāh. As A young girl, still in the home of her parents, it is legitimate to infer that the word includes the idea that she was a virgin.

Psalm 68:25. This verse refers to a musical worship procession in which ’alāmôt (plural of ’almāh) play the timbrels. Perhaps this verse is indeterminate, not speaking to the virginity of the maidens. But possibly it hints at virginity because it calls to mind Jephthah’s daughter who lamented her being offered as a sacrifice to the Lord (Judg 11:34-40). While some commentators believe that Jephthah’s daughter was an actual human sacrifice, others maintain that she was given by Jephthah to lifelong service in the tabernacle. Thus, she was never to marry and went with her friends to mourn her virginity. If this is the case, then perhaps it indicates that serving in the temple was restricted to virgins. Therefore, the damsels in the Temple worship procession, spoken of in Ps 68:25, would be virgins.

1 Chronicles 15:20. Once again, the word is used as a musical direction. So it is neutral, not supporting or contradicting the meaning “virgin.”

Song of Songs 1:3. This verse refers to the love of the ’alamôt for Solomon. These are not married women but maidens who wanted husbands but have not yet been married. Therefore, the word would imply the concept of virginity.

Song of Songs 6:8. This description of the king’s harem includes three categories: sixty queens, eighty concubines, and the ’alamôt without umber. The queens are those whom the king has married, the concubines are those with whom he has had sexual relations, and the ’alamôt are the virgins who will one day be elevated to either concubine or queenly status. If these ’alamôt were not virgin, they would be in the concubine category. Hence the use of the word here is of virgins.

Proverbs 30:19. This verse is the most controversial of the usages since it describes “the way of a man with an ’almāh.” The entire proverb is found in 30:18-20 and refers to four wonderful and incomprehensible things: an eagle in the sky, a serpent on a rock, a ship in the sea, and a man with an ’almāh. Some have maintained that what unites these four is in each one something disappears. A soaring eagle is easily lost from sight. A serpent quickly slithers off the rock, disappearing from sight. A ship can be lost in a fraction of time. And a virgin can lose her virginity to young man very quickly. If this were the true interpretation of the proverb, the word ’almāh would indeed be virgin. But since there is no moral evil in the first three examples, it seems unlikely that the fourth would call extramarital sex “wonderful.” Moreover, the contrast with the adulterous woman in 30:20 would imply that the ’almāh in the previous verse was not engaged in illicit sex. Probably the best way to understand this proverb is as referring to the mysterious and wonderful qualities of youthful attraction. Thus, it once again would refer to a virgin.

In every usage of the Hebrew Bible, the word ’almāh either refers to a virgin or has a neutral sense. Based on this study, it appears that Isaiah chose his words based on precision. While the Hebrew bětûlāh could refer to a virgin of any age, ’almāh would refer to a virgin that has just arrived at puberty. She is a maiden in the truest and purest sense. So, there does not seem to be cause to abandon the traditional interpretation of ’almāh as a “virgin” except for an antisupernatural or antimessianic bias.