Exodus 8:19
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The magicians' confession, "This is the finger of God," isn't just an acknowledgment of divine power; it's a desperate attempt to save face. By attributing the plague to "a god" rather than naming the God of Israel, they try to maintain their prestige while admitting their own magic has failed completely. Pharaoh's continued stubbornness, even after his own experts yield, highlights how deeply his heart is set against God's will, as had been foretold.
After the plague of frogs, which even the Egyptian magicians could mimic to some extent, God unleashes a new torment: swarms of gnats (or lice) that plague both people and animals. When the magicians try and fail to replicate this plague, they are forced to admit, "This is the finger of God," acknowledging a power far beyond their own. However, Pharaoh remains stubbornly unmoved, his heart hardened against God's escalating judgments, just as the LORD had foretold.
The Egyptian magicians were known for their powerful sorcery, able to mimic God's plagues. But with this one, they hit a wall.
In Exodus 8, the magicians' attempt to replicate the plague of lice fails spectacularly.
The Struggle:
The Revelation:
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When their own powers failed, the magicians uttered words that were both a confession and a veiled warning to Pharaoh.
The magicians' declaration, “This is the finger of God,” is significant for several reasons:
Acknowledging Divine Power:
Unintentional Witness:
Even when his own magicians acknowledged God's power, Pharaoh's heart remained stubbornly closed. Why?
Pharaoh's reaction to the magicians' confession is crucial: 'But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.'
Self-Imposed Hardness:
Rooted in Rebellion:
Understand the original words
etzba Elohim · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A metaphor for the immediate, creative, and irresistible power of God; it signifies that the act performed is directly from the hand of the Almighty, requiring no intermediary.
lebh · Hebrew Noun
The central seat of human decision-making, emotion, and will; to have one’s heart hardened represents a persistent, willful defiance against God's revelation.
The failure of the Egyptian magicians to replicate the plague of gnats marks a turning point, forcing them to admit divine intervention and exposing Pharaoh's stubbornness as a direct defiance of God, not just human power.
c. 1446 BC
Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh
Following God's command, Moses and Aaron deliver Pharaoh an ultimatum: let my people go, or face plagues.
c. 1446 BC
First Plague: Water to Blood
Aaron strikes the Nile with his staff, turning all the water in Egypt to blood. The Egyptian magicians can replicate this, but only partially.
c. 1446 BC
Second Plague: Frogs
Frogs swarm the land of Egypt. The magicians are again able to mimic this plague through their sorceries, though the extent of their success is debated.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Third Plague: Gnats/Lice
Aaron strikes the dust, and gnats infest humans and animals. The magicians fail entirely to replicate this plague, acknowledging a divine power at work.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Heart is Hardened
Despite the clear evidence of divine power, Pharaoh refuses to let Israel go. This hardening is attributed to both Pharaoh's own will and God's sovereign plan.
Jesus uses the phrase 'finger of God' to describe His power in casting out demons, directly echoing the magicians' recognition of divine power in Exodus.
John 15:24This passage highlights that even miraculous works done by Jesus were undeniable evidence of God's presence, a parallel to the magicians' confession when they could no longer replicate the plague.
Hebrews 12:29This verse reminds us that our God is a consuming fire, emphasizing the awesome and powerful nature of God's judgment, much like the plagues on Egypt.
2 Timothy 3:8-9Paul references the magicians' failure to produce the plague of lice, showing how their futile attempts were exposed, just as Jannes and Jambres stood against Moses.
calvinExodus 8:16-19: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt."
And they did so: for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and in beast: all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
Et fecerunt sic: et extendit Aharon manum suam cum virga sua, et percussit pulverem terrae: ut fuit in pedi…
gillExodus 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."
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…
The magicians' confession, "This is the finger of God," isn't just an acknowledgment of divine power; it's a desperate attempt to save face. By attributing the plague to "a god" rather than naming the God of Israel, they try to maintain their prestige while admitting their own magic has failed completely. Pharaoh's continued stubbornness, even after his own experts yield, highlights how deeply his heart is set against God's will, as had been foretold.
After the plague of frogs, which even the Egyptian magicians could mimic to some extent, God unleashes a new torment: swarms of gnats (or lice) that plague both people and animals. When the magicians try and fail to replicate this plague, they are forced to admit, "This is the finger of God," acknowledging a power far beyond their own. However, Pharaoh remains stubbornly unmoved, his heart hardened against God's escalating judgments, just as the LORD had foretold.
After the plague of frogs, which even the Egyptian magicians could mimic to some extent, God unleashes a new torment: swarms of gnats (or lice) that plague both people and animals. When the magicians try and fail to replicate this plague, they are forced to admit, "This is the finger of God," acknowledging a power far beyond their own. However, Pharaoh remains stubbornly unmoved, his heart hardened against God's escalating judgments, just as the LORD had foretold.
"Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said." — The magicians' confession, "This is the finger of God," isn't just an acknowledgment of divine power; it's a desperate attempt to save face. By attributing the plague to "a god" rather than naming th…
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