Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 21:40

"And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying," — Acts 21:40 (ASV)

License. Liberty; permission.

On the stairs. See Barnes on Acts 21:35.

Beckoned with the hand. Waving the hand as a sign that he was about to address them, and to produce silence and attention. See Acts 12:17.

In the Hebrew tongue. The language spoken by the Jews, which at that time was a mixture of the Chaldee and Syriac, called Syro-Chaldaic.

He doubtless used this language on this occasion in preference to Greek because it was better understood by the multitude and would tend to conciliate them if they heard him address them in their own language.

The following chapter should have been connected with this one, as the division here is unnatural.