And he said, about this season,.... In the next year:
according to the time of life; the usual time women go with child:
thou shalt embrace a son; in thine arms, that shall be born of thee, which she should have in her lap, and in her bosom:
and she said, nay, my lord, do not lie unto thine handmaid; or speak unto her what was not truth; it was so great, and so unaccountable, how it could be in her circumstances, that she could not believe it to be true, though she wished it might; or do not deceive me with vain and false words, or flatter me, jest with me, which would be unbecoming his character as a man of God, and prophet of the Lord; according to the Targum, she wished it might prove true, and she not deceived; see 2 Kings 4:28.