And when Simon saw, &c.— "Now when Simon saw with astonishment, that the Holy spirit in his extraordinary operations was thus apparently given by the imposition of the apostles' hands,—as he imagined with himself, that if he could perform the like, it might turn considerably to his own honour and advantage, especially if by this means he could form persons to the knowledge of languages which they had never been at thetrouble of learning in a natural way,—he went to the apostles, and offered them a considerable sum of money, &c."
Related Commentaries of Acts 8:18
Acts 8:18-19
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.