semiopen

I'm a learner too, my modesty is not completely false.

However, there is no question that we are all masters of English (being native speakers). The issue which bothers me is the use of maiden which implies virgin.

maid: an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

From http://www.answers.com/topic/maiden

From http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ma/maiden187208.html

Hence my question to JoeWallack who writes that almah = "young woman/maiden" but not virigin.

Where virgin differs from maiden is that a virgin can be old. Also there is a sense of degree of chastity; where a maiden may have engaged in sexual acts but not intercourse, this is subjective of course.

I can allow some slack here, and can accept that the term maiden can be used for someone who is not a virign... but still it is worth examining.

The Isaiah 7:14 issue that I raise is that the term "young woman" can be criticized as being inexact where more accurate term might be damsel or maiden. Maybe the best term is "nice Jewish girl."

Despite the well deserved defeat of the virgin translation, the translation "young woman" seems largely polemical, that is, it seems to be translated this way to avoid pissing off Jewish readers.

semiopen

I looked at Genesis 34:3 at the link below and you're right it says naarah, which actually means "female youth" as naar is a term used for a youth, like the two lads who accompanied Abraham to the Isaac sacrifice (plus Isaac himself) - although the youngest of these lads appears to Isaac at about 35.

http://biblos.com/genesis/34-4.htm

I'm quite certain I read almah in the artscroll interlinear bible that I referenced, where it was translated maiden. I have to check that.