On the stairs. See Barnes "Ac 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 Ac 12:17.

In the Hebrew tongue. The language which was spoken by the Jews, which was then a mixture of the Chaldee and Syriac, called Syro-Chaldaic. This language he doubtless used on this occasion in preference to the Greek, because it was understood better 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. The division here is unnatural.

{*} "license" "permission" {a} "beckoned" Ac 12:17