Exodus 8:19

ESV 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.

NIV the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.

NASB Then the soothsayer priests said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.' But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

CSB "This is the finger of God," the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

NLT This is the finger of God!' the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.

KJV 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.

NKJV Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.

What does Exodus 8:19 mean?

When Moses approached Pharaoh and his Egyptian magicians, he backed up his demands (Exodus 5:1–3) with divine proofs. In the first two instances, the Egyptian sorcerers convinced Pharoah that they could do the same—so he could ignore the signs (Exodus 7:11–12, 22). With the third sign—the second plague, that of frogs—they have only partial success (Exodus 8:7–8). Now, when the Lord sends an overwhelming cloud of tiny insects (Exodus 8:16–17), they fail entirely (Exodus 8:18).

The important part of this passage is how the Egyptian magicians reacted to their failure. This cannot be a trick or illusion, and the only explanation is divine power. Their deities associated with insects and marshes, such as Wadjet, were powerless. The magicians may not have recognized the God of Israel specifically; the word 'elō'him, or Elohim, serves much the same function as the English word "god." It can be a general noun or a substitute name. Yet the Egyptian magicians know this is a true, supernatural miracle (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10). They see the evidence and make a reasonable conclusion. Jesus may have alluded to this exact moment by noting that His miracles should have been convincing (Luke 11:20).

Still, the Egyptian king is hard-headed and obstinate. He refuses to accept what he must do (Exodus 7:1–5, 23). This is precisely according to God's predictions (Exodus 7:13; 8:15). Pharaoh will deliberately reject the Lord so many times that God will begin using the king as an illustration of wrath (Exodus 4:21; 9:12). God's next step in this process also uses insects, this time in the form of flies (Exodus 8:20–21).

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