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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

Exodus 8:19

The finger is put either synecdochically for the hand, as it is Exodus 31:18 Psalms 8:3, Psalms 144:1; or metaphorically for the power or virtue, as Luke 11:20, compared with Matthew 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 Israel's 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 Genesis 9:13 1 Samuel 7:17 Mark 2:13.

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See also Exodus 8:19 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 8:19. _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;...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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 tha...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 8 THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH PLAGUES _ 1. The demand and the plague of frogs announced (Exodus 8:1)_ 2. The plague executed (Exodus 8:5) 3. The request of Pharaoh and the frogs removed ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 7:14 TO EXODUS 12:36. THE TEN PLAGUES. How deeply this series of events imprinted itself on the mind and heart of the nation is shown by the fulness with which the three sources report them. J...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 8:16 P. 3°. LICE OR GNATS (_i.e._ mosquitoes) SWARM. In autumn, when much water is standing in the rice fields, swarms of mosquitoes, like clouds of dust, arise from their breeding-grounds. Per...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FINGER. Figure of speech _Anthropopatheia_ (App-6). Note, the Egyptians say "God", not Jehovah. AS THE LORD HAD SAID. Compare Exodus 4:21, Jehovah, because in connection with His word....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Exodus 7:14 to Exodus 11:5 _The first nine Plagues_ The narrative of the Plagues, like that of the preceding Chapter s, is composite. The details of the analysis depend partly upon literary criteria...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    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 Luke 11:20 compared with Matthew 12:28. 1 Samuel 6:9....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    The Text of EXODUS TRANSLATION 8 And Je-ho-vah spake unto Mo-ses, Go in unto Pha-raoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Je-ho-vah, Let my people go, that they may serve me. (2) And if thou refuse to let t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH PLAGUES 1-15. The Second Plague:—Frogs. This plague, like the first, was not only in itself loathsome, but an offence to the religious notions of the Egyptians. The frog...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION THE *ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT EXODUS CHAPTER S 1 TO 18 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 8 *PLAGUE NUMBER 2: *FROGS – VERSES 1-15 THE *LORD WARNS *PHARAOH – V...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    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 be...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Exodus 8:15]_ וַ יֹּאמְר֤וּ הַֽ חַרְטֻמִּים֙ אֶל...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE THIRD PLAGUE. Exodus 8:16. There is no sufficient reason for discarding the ordinary opinion of this plague. Gnats have been suggested (with beetles instead of flies for the fourth, since gnats a...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE PLAGUES OF LICE AND OF FLIES Exodus 8:16 Exodus 8:22 gives us the clue to these successive visitations-“To the end that thou mayest know.” The Egyptians worshiped the river from which the frogs c...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Before the second plague Pharaoh received an opportunity to repent. He was warned of the approach of the plague. The warning had no effect. In the first plague magicians had produced apparently like r...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Finger, the spirit, (Luke xi. 20; compare Matthew xii. 28,) or power of God, Isaias xl. 12. The magicians here confess, that Moses is something more than themselves. (Calmet) --- Thus God interferes,...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Let the Reader consult what was said on the 7th Verse, and now behold the Lord's design in the permission. Gracious God! how dost thou compel thy very enemies to acknowledge thy sovereignty? Reader! s...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is hardly a book of the Old Testament that stands out in more decided contrast with the book of Genesis than the one which follows it most closely. And this is the more striking, because God emp...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    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 b...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 5 THROUGH 13. At the news of the goodness of God, the people adore Him; but the struggle against the power of evil is another matter. Satan will not let the p...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 ac...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _This is the finger of God_ The devil's 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...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Frogges are sent. 8 Pharaoh sueth to Moses, 12 and Moses by prayer remoueth them away. 16 The dust is turned into lice, which the Magicians could not doe. 20 The swarmes of flies. 25 Pharaoh in...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God. They were forced to declare their impotence in the face of God's almighty power, to acknowledge that the God of the Hebrews was mightie...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE PLAGUE OF THE LICE...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    C. THE GNATS Exodus 8:12-15 [Exodus 8:16-19] 12 [Exodus 8:16]And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice [gnats] througho...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    LAGUE NO.2 -- FROGS (vs.1-15) Again God gives the opportunity to Pharaoh to respond to His demand to let Israel go (v.1). But Moses was to accompany this with the warnings that, if Pharaoh refused,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    16-19 These lice were produced out of the dust of the earth; out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the dust of the earth obe...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 8:19 magicians H2748 said H559 (H8799) Pharaoh H6547 finger H676 God H430 Pharaohs H6547 heart H3820 hard...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE THIRD PLAGUE - THE PLAGUE OF INSECTS (EXODUS 8:16). This can be analysed as follows: a Aaron was to stretch out his staff and smite the dust so that it became insects (Exodus 8:16). b Aaron did...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Plagues of frogs, lice, flies. Pharaoh's compromising offer. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Pharaoh, Aaron. CONCLUSION: If God be against us, all creatures can be made to be at war with us. God c...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 8:3. _The river shall bring forth frogs._ The season was now approaching for the frogs to leave the pools, lakes, and river. God preserved and strengthened the young, or tadpoles of this amphib...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _That it may become lice._ THE PLAGUE OF LICE I. The plague itself. 1. This punishment was sent without any previous warning. 2. This plague was inflicted by a very small insect. 3. This plague c...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 8:18 Some of Pharaoh’s servants (see also Exodus 10:7) recognize that the God of Moses and Aaron has power over Egypt. Pharaoh’s persistent defiance is harming his own people....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 8:16. Lice] “Gnats”—Ges. Fü. DAV. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 8:16_ THE PLAGUE OF LICE, OR, AN ENFORCED RECOGNITION OF A SUPREME POWER IN THE DIRE RETRIBUTIO...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE THIRD PLAGUE. The breach of promise on the part of Pharaoh (Exodus 8:15), was punished by the third plague, which was inflicted without being announced. It is disputed among the best cr...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    The Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. [So the third demand now, actually the fourth demand.] And if you refuse to...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    this is 1 Samuel 6:3 1 Samuel 6:9 Psalms 8:3 Daniel 2:10 Daniel 2:11...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    FAITH AS EXEMPLIFIED IN MOSES Selections from Exodus 3:1; Exodus 6:1; Exodus 7:1; Exodus 8:1;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    This is the finger of God — The power of God. The devil's agents, when God permitted them, could do great things; but when he laid an embargo upon them, they could do nothing. The magicians inability...

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