Exodus 8:19 - Printer Friendly

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.

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).

Exodus 8:16–19 records the third plague: a massive infestation of small insects. These may have been literal "gnats," though the Hebrew word may imply lice, fleas, mosquitos, or all of these. For the first time, Pharaoh's occultists cannot even pretend to match this miracle. The Egyptian magicians attribute the plague to divine power. Yet the Egyptian king is still obstinate, refusing to release the Israelites.

After Pharaoh ignores the first plague (Exodus 7:20–23), God sends a swarm of frogs. Pharaoh's magicians can summon frogs, but they can't get rid of them. So, he appeals to Moses. Though the plague is lifted, Pharaoh re-jects the command to release Israelite slaves. This leads to a plague of gnats and then one of flies, with similar results. The arrival of these creatures might have been caused by the corruption of the Nile River, but only God's supernatural work could make them disappear. Future plagues will be increasingly severe (Exodus 9:6, 10, 22; 10:4, 22; 12:29–32).

Moses and Aaron offered a sign to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10–13), but he still refused to release the Hebrew slaves (Ex-odus 1:11–14). This triggered the first of the ten plagues of Egypt: turning water into blood (Exodus 7:20–21). This chapter includes the next three disasters: frogs, gnats, and flies. Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to concede each time. Upcoming plagues will escalate (Exodus 9:6, 10, 22, 10:4, 22), leading to the death of Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 12:29–32) and Israel's release (Exodus 12:41).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.