The purpose of verses 18-19 is to emphasize the importance of the giving of the Law by making it an event so grand that it affected the forces of nature (see Exo 19.16-18; compare Psa 18.7-15).

Thou didst bend down the heavens: This verse begins with the Latin conjunction that is literally “And” (King James Version, An American Translation). This conjunction may be rendered “Then” or omitted (so Revised Standard Version). Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version begin this verse helpfully with the adverb “There” to indicate that these dramatic events took place at Mount Sinai. Contemporary English Version interprets the figurative expression Thou didst bend down the heavens to mean “you covered the land with thick clouds,” which is a helpful model. A model that keeps the figurative language is “you brought the sky downward.”

And shake the earth, and move the world: Shake the earth means to make the earth move up and down, and move the world means to make it rock back and forth. Some translators may prefer to combine these two clauses into one; example, Contemporary English Version says “and shook the entire earth.” As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, there is a textual problem here. The Latin text has “make the earth steady” instead of shake the earth. The latter reading fits the context better, and is found in most ancient translations (Syriac, Georgian, Ethiopic, and one Arabic version), so we prefer it.

And make the depths to tremble: Here the Latin word for depths refers to the deep water of the ocean, which people thought was underneath the earth (see Gen 7.11). God made this water shake with storms.

And trouble the times: The Latin word rendered times (saeculum) is probably better translated “world” (Metzger [1983]) or “universe” (Good News Bible) in this context (see “Translating 2 Esdras,” page 313). New English Bible renders this clause as “and turned creation upside down.” We may also say “and brought violent disturbance to all creation [or, to the whole universe]” or “and disturbed the whole universe violently.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Then you brought the sky downward, you shook the earth up and down* and rocked it back and forth, you swept the ocean with storms, and brought violent disturbance to all creation [or, to the whole universe].
* Most ancient translations: shook the earth up and down; Latin: made the earth steady.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.