The Hebrew word etsba (אֶצְבַּע) means finger or toe. It appears approximately 31 times in the Old Testament and refers to human and divine fingers alike. The term spans both digits — the fingers of the hand and the toes of the foot — and is used in measurements, priestly rituals, and striking theological declarations about God's creative work.
Etsba carries profound theological weight when applied to God. The "finger of God" wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Exodus 31:18), signifying direct divine authorship of the Law. In Exodus 8:19, Pharaoh's magicians declared of the plagues, "This is the finger of God." Jesus echoed this in Luke 11:20, saying He cast out demons "by the finger of God," indicating the kingdom's arrival. The finger of God acts in creation, law, and redemption.