They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
In order to dissuade the Corinthians from communion with idolaters, and security in any sinful course, he sets before them the example of the Jews, the church under the Old Testament. They enjoyed great privileges, but, having been guilty of heinous provocations, they fell under very grievous punishments. In these verses he reckons up their privileges, which, in the main, were the same with ours. I.
Commenting on 1 Corinthians 10:1-5
And were all baptized unto Moses,.... "In or by Moses"; and so the Syriac version renders it, , "by the hand of Moses"; by his means and direction, he going before, they followed after him into the sea, and passed through on dry land, and came out on the shore, which carried in it a resemblance of baptism; when they believed the Lord, and his...
Verse 2. And were all baptized. In regard to the meaning of the word baptized, . We are not to suppose that the rite of baptism, as we understand it, was formally administered by Moses, or by any other person, to the Jews, for there is not the least evidence that any such rite was then known; and the very circumstances here referred to forbid such an interpretation.