What is the Child’s Name? (Isaiah 9:6)

Isaiah 9:6 is popularly read during the December holiday season:

For a child is born to us; a son is given to us. And the government shall come on his shoulder. And he shall call his name Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Peaceful Prince.

This prophecy was made by the Prophet Isaiah during the 8th century BCE. It foretells that a child will be born, and that he will rule as king like his ancestor, David (v. 7).

It is commonly understood from the prophecy that this child will be given a name that contains four titles: “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Peaceful Prince”. However, the Masoretic Text suggests that the prophecy should be read differently.

Brief Introduction to Masoretic Cantillation

The Masoretic Text is used most widely among Jews and Christians as the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament). Most Christian translations of the Old Testament are based primarily on the Masoretic Text.

Besides the Hebrew text, the Masoretic Text also includes cantillation marks. These cantillation marks do not only indicate how the Hebrew text should be chanted, but also how the words in the Hebrew text relate to one another. In most passages, the Masoretic Cantillation reflects a reasonable reading of the Hebrew text. However, this is not the case in some passages, like Isaiah 9:6b.

Masoretic Cantillation on Isaiah 9:6

The Hebrew text of Isaiah 9:6b reads:

ויקרא שמו פלא יועץ אל גבור אביעד שר שלום

The most natural reading of the Hebrew text indicates that all four titles are part of the child’s name. However, the Masoretic Cantillation suggests that the Hebrew text should be read in a different manner:

And the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God shall call his name Eternal Father, Peaceful Prince.

In other words, according to the Masoretic Cantillation, the titles “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God” refer to God, and are not part of the child’s name. Instead, the child’s name only contains the titles “Eternal Father, Peaceful Prince”.

Evaluation

It is technically possible to read the Hebrew text in the manner that is suggested by the Masoretic Cantillation. However, it is very unnatural. The original readers of the Hebrew text would not have read it in that manner. If the titles “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God” were intended to refer to God rather than the child, then the words would have at least been arranged in a different order.

Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the Hebrew text of Isaiah 9:6b was intended to be read in the manner that is suggested by the Masoretic Cantillation. Instead, it is more reasonable to understand the Hebrew text according to its most natural reading, that all four titles are part of the child’s name.