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40. ἐπιτρέψαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, and when he had given him leave. As in the previous verse.
κατέσεισεν τῇ χειρί, he beckoned with his hand. Apparently the chief captain had also been so far impressed by the conversation of his prisoner, that he allowed at least one of his hands to be released from its chain (see above, Act 21:33) while he spake to the multitude, and this he waved to ask for silence.
πολλῆς δὲ σιγῆς γενομένης, and when there was made a great silence. The unusual circumstance, and the gesture which could be seen through the whole crowd, would gain an audience very readily. Beside which an Oriental mob is less persistent than those of the western world.
τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ, in the Hebrew language. This alone, as soon as it was heard, would gain the speaker an audience with many. It was their own speech, for by ‘Hebrew’ here is meant the Aramaic dialect of Palestine.