And they made signs to his father,.... Who was deaf, as well as dumb; otherwise there would have been no occasion to have signs made to him: and so the word used, in Luke 1:20 signifies both deaf and dumb. These signs were made by hands or head; for such used to be made to a dumb man. According to the canon q, a dumb man nods, and ונרמז "and is nodded", or "beckoned to": and which beckoning one of the commentators r says, is a sign which is expressed either by the hands or head. Such a method as these took with Zacharias, about the name of his son, is directed to in case of a father's deafness, in relation to knowing who is his firstborn; s
"father that is dumb, they search or examine him in the way they search for divorces; if he makes signs, or writes, that this is his firstborn, lo! this takes the double portion.''
How he would have him called; by what name, Zacharias or John; and they were right in applying to him, to whom it most properly belonged, to give a name to his child.
q Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect 7. r Bartenora in ib. s Maimon. Hitch. Nechalot, c. 2. sect. 15, & 4. 1.