John Gill Commentary Luke 1:62

"And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called." — Luke 1:62 (ASV)

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 ^F17 , a dumb man nods, and (zmrnw) "and is nodded", or "beckoned to": and which beckoning one of the commentators ^F18 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; ^F19 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F17: Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect 7.
• F18: Bartenora in ib.
• F19: Maimon. Hitch. Nechalot, c. 2. sect. 15, & 4. 1.