He said “My Lord! How shall I have a boy when old age has overtaken me and my wife is barrenḍ” He said 'so it will be.” “God does what He will.” It is said that there was a long time between his petition and the reply and because of that he said “How shall I have a boyḍ” It may mean that he said “By what right would I receive a response [to my prayer] if not by Your favorḍ”93 It may mean that he said “How shall this be: by adoption or sexual procreationḍ” It may mean that [he questioned] whether this was to be from a woman other than his wife since she was [also] of advanced age [that is] from taking a slave as a concubine. So it was said to him “No not through these means for both you and your wife have suffered loneliness together so the good news of the son is for both of you.”
