עִמָּנוּאֵל
Immanuel, a type name of Isaiah's son
Definition
Immanuel is a Hebrew proper name meaning 'God with us.' It appears in Isaiah 7:14 as a prophetic sign to King Ahaz, where a child bearing this name signifies God's presence and deliverance for Judah during a political crisis. In Isaiah 8:8, the name is invoked again as a declaration that despite Assyrian invasion, Judah ultimately belongs to 'God with us.' The name functions both as a specific prophetic sign and as a theological affirmation of God's covenantal presence with His people.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8). In both instances, it is a prophetic name given in the context of national threat—first from the Syro-Ephraimite alliance and later from Assyria. The usage pattern is declarative, serving as a divine promise and a reminder of God's active involvement in Judah's history.
Etymology
Derived from the preposition עִם (ʻim, H5973), meaning 'with,' and the divine name אֵל (ʼêl, H410), meaning 'God,' with the first-person plural pronominal suffix '-נוּ' ('us') inserted. It is a compound phrase meaning 'with us (is) God.'
Semantic Range
This word is profoundly theological, encapsulating the core biblical theme of God's covenantal presence. It points to God's commitment to be with His people in judgment and salvation. In the New Testament, Matthew 1:23 applies this prophecy to Jesus Christ, showing its fulfillment as the ultimate expression of 'God with us' in the incarnation, enriching the understanding of Jesus' identity and mission.
In its original context, naming a child with a theophoric element (containing God's name) like 'Immanuel' was a powerful prophetic act. It served as a living, public symbol of a divine message during a time of military and political anxiety, making God's promise tangible to the community.
None directly synonymous as a proper name, but conceptually related to: שְׁכִינָה (Shekhinah) — not a biblical Hebrew word but a later rabbinic term for God's dwelling or manifest presence.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →