Luke 1:62

62 innuebant autem patri eius quem vellet vocari eum

Luke 1:62 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 1:62

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Luke 1:62 In-Context

60 et respondens mater eius dixit nequaquam sed vocabitur Iohannes
61 et dixerunt ad illam quia nemo est in cognatione tua qui vocetur hoc nomine
62 innuebant autem patri eius quem vellet vocari eum
63 et postulans pugillarem scripsit dicens Iohannes est nomen eius et mirati sunt universi
64 apertum est autem ilico os eius et lingua eius et loquebatur benedicens Deum
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.