Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 8:19
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This [is] the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
The finger of God – This expression is thoroughly Egyptian; it need not imply that the magicians recognized Yahweh, the God who performed the marvel. They may possibly have referred it to as a god that was hostile to their own protectors.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. This is the finger of God] That is, The power and skill of God are here evident. Probably before this the magicians supposed Moses and Aaron to be conjurers, like themselves; but now they are convinced that no man could do these miracles which these holy men did, unless God were with him. God permits evil spirits to manifest themselves in a certain way, that men may see that there is a spiritual world, and be on their guard against seduction. He at the same time shows that all these agents are under his control, that men may have confidence in his goodness and power.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The finger is put either synecdochically for the hand, as it is Exo 31:18; Psa 8:3; 144:1; or metaphorically for the power or virtue, as Luk 11:20, compared with Mat 12:28.
Of God; of that supreme God, whom both the Egyptians and other heathen idolaters acknowledged as superior to all men, and idols, and devils. This they said, lest they should be thought inferior to Moses and Aaron in magical art. But hereby they own the sovereign God to be on Israels side; and yet, like the devils, they proceed to fight against him.
He hearkened not unto them; either to his magicians, of whom he last spake; or rather to Moses and Aaron, as the following words show. For relatives oft belong to the remoter antecedents, as Gen 9:13; 1Sa 7:17; Mar 2:13.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, this is the finger of God,…. This is to be ascribed to a power superior to human, to a divine power; so long as they could do something similar, or impose upon the senses of men, and make them believe they did the like, they would not acknowledge divine omnipotence; but when they no longer could deceive the sight of Pharaoh and the Egyptian, then they own the effects of a superior power: and this they did partly to detract from the power of Moses and Aaron, because they would not have them pass for more skilful persons in the magic art than themselves; and therefore suggest, that this was done not by virtue of any human skill and art, but by the power of the Supreme Being; and partly to detract from the honour of the God of Israel; for they do not say this is the finger of Jehovah, whom they accounted, as Dr. Lightfoot g observes, as a petty trivial god, but this is the finger of Elohim, the Supreme Deity. It is conjectured by some h, that in memory of this plague the Egyptian priests scrape their whole bodies, lest there should be a louse or any unclean thing on them when they worship their gods, as Herodotus i relates:
and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; either not unto the magicians owning the hand of God, and his divine power in the plague inflicted; or to Moses and Aaron demanding the dismission of the people of Israel, which latter seems to be confirmed by the usual phrase, as follows,
as the Lord had said; see Ex 7:4.
g Ut supra. (Works, vol. 1. p. 705, 706.) h Vid. Scheuchzer. Physica Sacra, vol. 1. p. 132. i Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 37.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh. It is probable that they were reproved harshly, because they had come to a stop in their rivalry with the servants of God; wherefore they excuse themselves by saying, that there is no more room for their wisdom and magical arts. We gather from hence that they had so been able to delude by their sorceries, that they thought themselves very good and praiseworthy artificers of deception. For on no other account had the people accounted them wise than because they had themselves first attained this confidence; therefore they oppose the finger of God to their subtlety and skill, as much as to say, that there is no longer any question as to the excellence of their art, but that whatever could be required from astrologers and masters of juggling, was now brought to nought by the extraordinary power of God. They do indeed contradict themselves; because what could have been their object in contending with Moses and Aaron, except they had boasted that God was on their side? But if they had been acting under the auspices of God, how ridiculous was it to confess that those, whom they had before opposed, were their superiors, and to accord them the praise of the victory, because they were endued with power from God? We see then how infatuated they were with all their cunning. But in the meantime we must recollect what I have lately glanced at, that they not only led others into error, but were also deceived, because they thought there was some science in the deceptions of their magic; as now-a-days we see that the fortune-tellers and other impostors, who call themselves judicial astrologers, so pride themselves in their follies, as to have no hesitation in taking the first rank amongst the learned. Besides, ambition itself impelled the magicians to say, that God wrought by the hand of Moses; for they were ashamed to confess that any human being excelled them in wisdom. But the confession was extorted from them, that they might greatly magnify the glory of the one true God, and at the same time bear witness to the legitimate vocation of Moses; for if the power of God is manifested conspicuously in Moses, it follows that he is a true and divine Prophet. But, because He does not equally work in them, but brings their efforts to confusion, it may thence be concluded that they are enemies of God. That they should have contended unsuccessfully, and have been foiled in the midst of their attempts, was sufficient to restrain their vanity; but this was much worse, that they should make out God to be the enemy of their art. It is true that they spoke this inconsiderately, because they only wished to consult their own fame, and to defend the false honors of their learning; but it pleased God thus to convict them, so that Pharaoh should perceive that he had entered into contention with the living God, and not with two ordinary men. As to the form of expression, it is clearly metaphorical; for in Luke’s Gospel the Spirit is called “the finger of God,” (Luk 11:20😉 as likewise, in many passages, the same Spirit is intended by “the hand of God.” Still, we must mark the reason, lest any unlearned person should take it literally, as if the Spirit, who truly is Eternal God, were but some portion of the Divinity. (94) But since the magicians were compelled at length to recognise God’s power in the miracle, our folly will be worse than base if this same consideration does not obtain with us. Although it becomes us to acknowledge the hand of God in two ways; for neither when He acts by means, (as it is called,) does He detract from Himself at all; and, therefore, His hand may be seen with the eyes of faith in the whole course of nature; but, since He stirs up our indifference by miracles, therein it shines forth more conspicuously. Because, however, we shall soon see that the magicians did not therefore repent of their folly, let us learn sincerely and cordially to humble ourselves beneath God’s powerful hand, as soon as it appears. That Pharaoh, when deserted by the magicians, did not cease at all from his obstinacy, is a proof to us that, however wickedness may seek for its support in different directions, still the corruption is implanted within, which is of itself at enmity with God.
(94) In the Fr. there is the following addition: — “C’est dont selon nostre infirmite que la vertu essentielle de Dieu est appellee sa main ou son doigt;” it is then in reference to our infirmity that the essential virtue of God is called His hand, or this finger.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) The finger of God.Rather, of a goal. The magicians meant to say, This is beyond the power of man: it is supernatural; some god must be helping Moses and Aaron. They did not mean to profess a belief in One God.
Pharaohs heart was hardened.The mosquitoes did not impress Pharaoh as the frogs had done (Exo. 8:8-15). His heart remained hard. He had no need to harden it by an act of his will. Probably the visitation affected him but little, since he would possess mosquito curtains, and could inhabit the loftier parts of his palace, which would be above the height whereto the mosquito ascends (Herod, ii. 95).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. This is the finger of God Rather, of the gods; for they did not mean to own Jehovah, but declared that this was a supernatural infliction from their own gods . This explained their failure to Pharaoh, and so his heart became yet more hardened .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 8:19. This is the finger of God The finger of A God, as some would have it. This is the immediate power and work of God. See Luk 11:20 compared with Mat 12:28. 1Sa 6:9. Psa 109:27.
REFLECTIONS. The vilest and most despicable of the creatures, when sent from God, are sufficient to plague the proudest. The frogs are gone, and Pharaoh at ease. But now without warning,
1. The lice come upon him: nor man nor beast is free from these loathsome intruders. They who will not repent of their sins shall be plagued for them.
2. The magicians are baffled in their attempts. The devil can go no farther than his chain. They are made to own the finger of God. Thus the most inveterate of God’s enemies have oft-times bore testimony to his glory.
3. Pharaoh’s determined hardness of heart. When God gives a man up to a reprobate mind, nothing can save him.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“And he hearkened not unto them.” Exo 8:19 .
The man spoken of is Pharaoh, and the men to whom reference is made were his own magicians. There came a time in the spiritual history of Pharaoh when he declined the teaching of his own monitors in this matter. Paganism has its difficulties as well as Christianity. It must not be supposed that the Christian is the only religion which is disbelieved: Pharaoh gave up his own magicians. Men sometimes give the lie to nature, disobeying every one of her laws, and seeking to invent universes of their own. It is not uncommon also for experience to be dismissed by men who have imagined that its lessons are narrow and insufficient or hesitating in their moral deductions. Not only have nature and experience been thus deposed, but history itself has been treated as an idle tale. When nature, experience, and history have had to suffer these things at the hands of their supposed followers, what wonder if the men who have treated such teachers so should have treated the Gospel message with contempt and spurning? When a man treats all teachers in so high-handed a manner, he assumes practical godhead. We are not at liberty to conduct our own education without hint or service from others. If we take to this course, we shall conduct ourselves towards exhaustion. The wise learner looks outward, upward, Godward, insisting that his earth shall be warmed by no meaner fire than the sun.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Exo 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This [is] the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
Ver. 19. This is the finger of God. ] An act of omnipotency, as Luk 11:20 Psa 8:3 . “The heavens are the work of God’s fingers.” Deus disponit membra pulicis et culicis, saith Augustine.
And he hearkened not to them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
finger. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia (App-6). Note, the Egyptians say “God”, not Jehovah.
as the LORD had said. Compare Exo 4:21, Jehovah, because in connection with His word.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
This is: 1Sa 6:3, 1Sa 6:9, Psa 8:3, Dan 2:10, Dan 2:11, Dan 2:19, Mat 12:28, Luk 11:20, Joh 11:47, Act 4:16
and Pharaoh’s: Exo 8:15
Reciprocal: Gen 41:8 – the magicians of Egypt Gen 41:24 – I told this Exo 7:12 – but Aaron’s Exo 9:3 – the hand Exo 9:11 – General Exo 31:18 – the finger Psa 109:27 – General Isa 47:12 – General Eze 39:21 – and my Dan 1:20 – the magicians Amo 4:10 – yet Mic 3:7 – the seers Joh 10:21 – Can Act 8:9 – used 2Ti 3:9 – their Rev 13:13 – he doeth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 8:19. This is the finger of God The devils agents, when God permitted them, could do great things; but when he laid an embargo upon them they could do nothing. And their inability in this instance might have shown them whence they had their ability in the former instances, and that they had no power against Moses but what was given them from above. But Pharaohs heart was hardened By himself and the devil. Though he saw his magicians baffled, yet he could not prevail on himself to let the Israelites go. His kingly pride, the desire of detaining so many people in slavish dependance and subjection to him, and, above all, his superstitious prejudices, so blinded his mind that he still remained obdurate. Perhaps he yet considered Moses as a mere magician, like his own, only somewhat more expert in his art.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This [is] {f} the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
(f) They acknowledged that this was done by God’s power and not by sorcery; Lu 11:20.