9010. 'And God caused it to happen at his hand' means appearing as something happening by chance. This is clear from ancient people's idea of chance, which was that whatever happened was brought about by God; and this was why they expressed the idea of chance by saying that 'God caused it to happen at someone's hand'. Those who belonged to the ancient Churches knew that the Lord's providence was present in every single thing, and that contingencies, that is, things which appeared to happen by chance, were providential. Simple people therefore who could see no difference between things that happened because He permitted them and those that happened because He was well pleased by them attributed to the Lord both good and evil, good because they knew that He was the author of everything good, but evil on account of the appearance. For when a person performs evil deeds, and by performing them turns away from the Lord, the appearance is that the Lord turns away; at this time the Lord appears to him to be behind, not in front of him. These then are the reasons why if anyone struck another by chance, that is, his will had not contemplated the deed beforehand, the words 'God caused it to happen at his hand' were used to express it.

The Lord's providence is in every single thing, see 1919 (end), 4329, 5122 (end), 5155, 5195, 5894 (end), 6058, 6481-6487, 6489, 6491, 7004, 7007, 8478, 8717.

Contingencies or chance occurrences are providential, 5508, 6493, 6494.

Evil is attributed to the Lord, when in fact it originates in man, 2447, 5798, 6071, 6832, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7877, 7926, 8197, 8227, 8228, 8282, 8284, 8483, 8632.

5155. 'Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you' means a decision based on foresight. This is clear from the meaning of 'lifting up the head' as that which has been provided and therefore has been decided, or a decision based on providence, dealt with above in 5124; but here a decision based on foresight is meant because the prediction follows that he would be hanged on wood, by which a casting aside and condemnation are meant. The reason why a decision based on foresight, not on providence, is meant is that providence is used with reference to good but foresight with reference to evil. For all good flows in from the Lord and is therefore what is provided by Him; but all evil flows from hell, that is, from the human proprium which makes one with hell, and is therefore what is foreseen by Him. In its dealings with evil, providence is nothing else than the directing and steering of evil towards a milder evil, and so far as possible towards good; but evil itself is foreseen. Since therefore the subject at this point is the sensory power subject to the will part and the casting aside of this on account of evil, it is foresight that is meant.