And I looked, and behold …: Once again the word behold introduces something surprising in the vision (see the comments on verse 25). And I looked, and behold will be a natural expression in many languages, but in others it will be better to say “And I saw to my surprise” or simply “As I looked.”

The woman was no longer visible to me may be rendered “the woman vanished” or “I could see the woman no longer.”

But there was an established city: Instead of an established city, the Latin text has “a city being built” (see Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible footnotes). It will be made clear in the next subsection that the woman represents the heavenly Jerusalem. So the Latin text is not correct, since the heavenly Jerusalem is already in existence, and is only waiting to be revealed (see 2 Esd 7.26; 8.52; 10.53-54; 13.36). For established city, see the comments on 2 Esd 5.25.

And a place of huge foundations showed itself means the city was built “on a very large foundation” (Contemporary English Version).

Then I was afraid, and cried with a loud voice and said may be rendered simply “I was now terrified, and I shouted” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• As I looked, the woman vanished, but a huge city with massive [or, strong] foundations appeared [in her place]. I was afraid, and shouted….

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.