King James Bible
"And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless."
Zechariah emerges from the temple's inner sanctuary unable to pronounce the expected priestly blessing. His sudden muteness signals divine intervention, as the waiting congregation would have anticipated hearing the benediction after the incense offering. The people intuitively recognize that Zechariah's condition results from an encounter with the divine. In Jewish tradition, overwhelming divine revelations often left recipients temporarily unable to speak, marking authentic supernatural experiences. Through gestures alone, Zechariah attempts to communicate his experience while his muteness persists. This physical sign serves as both judgment for his disbelief and confirmation of Gabriel's prophecy about John's birth.