1 Corinthians 10:2

New Testament Epistle (Pauline) ASV (1901)

What does 1 Corinthians 10:2 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1 Corinthians 10:2 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Corinthians 10

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And were all baptized unto Moses, etc.] “In or by Moses”; and so the Syriac version renders it, açwm dyb, “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 servant Moses, (<021431>Exodus 14:31) and gave up themselves to him as their leader and commander through the wilderness: and this their baptism was in the cloud, and in the sea; which may be considered either as together or separately; if together, the agreement between them and baptism lay in this; the Israelites, when they passed through…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And--"And so" [BENGEL]. baptized unto Moses--the servant of God and representative of the Old Testament covenant of the law: as Jesus, the Son of God, is of the Gospel covenant (Joh 1:17; Heb 3:5-6). The people were led to believe in Moses as God's servant by the miracle of the cloud protecting them, and by their being conducted under him safely through the Red Sea; therefore they are said to be "baptized unto" him (Exo 14:31). "Baptized" is here equivalent to "initiated": it is used in accommodation to Paul's argument to the Corinthians; they, it is true, have been "baptized," but so also virtually were the Israelites of old; if the virtual baptism of the latter availed not to save them…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And were all baptized - In regard to the meaning of the word “baptized,” see the note at Matthew 3:6. 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. They were baptized “in the cloud” and “in the sea,” and this cannot be understood as a religious rite administered by the hand of man. It is to be remembered that the word “baptism” has two senses - the one referring to the application of water as a religious rite, in whatever mode it is done; and the other…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“And were all, as it were, baptized unto Moses - initiated into the religion which he taught them. In the cloud and in the sea - Perhaps sprinkled here and there with drops of water from the sea or the cloud, by which baptism might be the more evidently signified. 1 Corinthians 10:3”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“10:2 all of them were baptized: Paul draws a parallel with the baptized Corinthians.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Co1 1:13-16; Exo 14:31; Joh 9:28, Joh 9:29; Heb 3:2, Heb 3:3 1 Corinthians 10:3”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Sources and verification