Messianic prophecy:The apostle Matthew understood this verse to be a type or foreshadowing of Jesus. Historically it may have been talking about Isaiah’s wife (2 Nephi 18:3) who bore him a second son, but Matthew was inspired to see its eternal import. The phrase “a virgin” is Hebrew ha-alma; that is, the [definite article] young woman, though it appears to be the only Hebrew noun that definitely applies to an unmarried woman. The Septuagint, the Old Testament in Greek, renders the word “virgin,” and the New Testament and the Book of Mormon both refer to her as a virgin. She shall conceive and bear a son. If the birth is not a miraculous virgin birth, given as a sign, then what is so unusual about a young woman having a son? The prophecy clearly suggests miraculous and divine intervention to insure its accomplishment (see commentary at 1 Nephi 11:13–26).
Fulfillment: (1) In the spirit of 2 Nephi 11:4, all things are the typifying of Jesus Christ: a young woman in Isaiah’s day (possibly his wife, the prophetess) bears a son with another symbolic name, Immanuel, which means literally “God [is] with us,” fulfilling prophecy that God himself would come down, or condescend, to dwell among mortals (Isaiah 8:8, 10); and the young woman in Isaiah’s day becomes a type of the young virgin in Nazareth (compare Hosea and his wife being a type or similitude of the Lord and his people; also compare the language of vv. 14 and 16 to 18:3–4); or (2) this is a direct prophecy of the virgin Mary and God the Father having a Son, Jesus (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:27; 1 Nephi 11:13–20; Alma 7:10).
Butter (curds, yogurt) and honey are symbolic of a humble diet.