Good News Translation omits any mention of the panic in the camp at the beginning of the verse because the last sentence repeats and reinforces this idea. The word here translated panic is elsewhere rendered “fear” (Pro 29.25) and “trembling” (Isa 21.4; Dan 10.7).

Raiders: see the comments on 13.17.

Trembled: see the comments on 13.7.

The earth quaked: an indication that God himself was responsible for the victory (see 7.10).

A very great panic: literally “a panic of God.” The word “of God” in Hebrew may be understood in two ways: (1) a panic or terror sent by God (so New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, andParola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), or (2) a great panic (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Bible en français courant). Sometimes the noun phrase “of God” functions as an intensifier when used with another noun, and it may be translated “great” or “very great.” Either interpretation fits the context. Some translations place one rendering in the text and the alternative rendering in a footnote (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); and this may be a useful approach in other languages also.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .