Jana Riess: âLo, a virgin shall conceiveâ ... or not, depending on the translation Had Isaiah wanted to say âvirginâ or predict a miraculous birth, he would have used different Hebrew words, say biblical scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler. (Chris Detrick | Salt Lake Tribune file photo) A large mural of the Virgin Mary on the east side of the building at 158 E. 200 South in Salt Lake City is seen in 2010. By Jana Riess | Religion News Service   | Dec. 18, 2020, 2:00 p.m. âLo, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.â Every December, this verse from the prophet Isaiah is featured in âMessiahâ sings and splashed across Christmas cards. Itâs a beloved text for Christians the world over.