The Meaning of Exodus 8:19 Explained

Exodus 8:19

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.

YLT: and the scribes say unto Pharaoh, 'It is the finger of God;' and the heart of Pharaoh is strong, and he hath not hearkened unto them, as Jehovah hath spoken.

Darby: Then the scribes said to Pharaoh, This is the finger of God! But Pharaoh's heart was stubborn, and he hearkened not to them, as Jehovah had said.

ASV: 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 Jehovah had spoken.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 8:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 8:16-32 - The Plagues Of Lice And Of Flies
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 came; were extremely punctilious in their purity by perpetual bathing; and sacrificed to the deities who presided over the noisome insect tribes. It was necessary to prove, therefore, that these gods were no gods, "but that the Lord made the heavens." The just and righteous Jehovah could not expect Pharaoh to obey His voice, until He had shown Himself to be God of gods and Lord of lords, and that He was Lord "in the middle of the earth." He is not an absentee; but nearer than breathing.
Notice the severance in Exodus 8:22! We do not belong to this world, because we have been crucified to it in Christ, and in Him have risen to the heavenly places. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 8

1  Frogs are sent
8  Pharaoh complains to Moses, who by prayer removes them
16  The dust is turned into lice, which the magicians could not do
20  The plague of flies
25  Pharaoh inclines to let the people go, but yet is hardened

What do the individual words in Exodus 8:19 mean?

And said the magicians to Pharaoh the finger of God That [is] but grew hard heart of Pharaoh and not he did heed them just as had said Yahweh -
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֶצְבַּ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים הִ֑וא וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק לֵב־ פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹֽא־ שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָֽה ס

וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙  the  magicians 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַרְטֹם  
Sense: diviner, magician, astrologer.
פַּרְעֹ֔ה  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
אֶצְבַּ֥ע  the  finger 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶצְבַּע  
Sense: finger, toe.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הִ֑וא  That  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק  but  grew  hard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
לֵב־  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
פַּרְעֹה֙  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמַ֣ע  he  did  heed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר  just  as 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דִּבֶּ֥ר  had  said 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation