They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
This passage of story fell, in order of time, before the two miracles we had in the close of the foregoing chapter, and is the same with that which was more briefly related by Matthew and Mark, of Christ's calling Peter and Andrew to be fishers of men, Mat 4:18, and Mar 1:16.
Commenting on Luke 5:1-11
And they beckoned unto their partners,.... Zebedee, and his two sons, James and John; Luk 5:10 who were at some distance from them, probably lay at anchor near the shore, not having put out to sea when the other vessel did, and so were not within call; but they were obliged to make signs to them, and beckon with their hands to come to them...
Verse 7. They beckoned. They gave signs. Perhaps they were at a considerable distance, so that they could not be easily heard. Their partners. James and John. See . The following remarks of Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. it. p. 80,81) will furnish a good illustration of this passage.