And if the place where you are standing is greatly shaken while the voice is speaking, do not be terrified: Earthquakes are often associated in the Old Testament with appearances of God (see, for example, Jdg 5.4; 1 Kgs 19.11-12; Psa 18.7). Contemporary English Version has a helpful model for this sentence, saying “14 Don’t be afraid if the place where you are standing begins to shake back and forth 15 while the voice is speaking.” A model that combines verses 14-15a is “Don’t be afraid if the ground starts shaking violently while the voice is speaking.”

Because the word concerns the end, and the foundations of the earth will understand that the speech concerns them: The earth will quake because it will hear the voice, and know that it is speaking about the end of the earth, and the earth will realize that its end is near. The phrase the foundations of the earth views the earth as a building with foundations, which is a common image in Scripture (see, for example, Psa 82.5; Isa 24.18).

They will tremble and be shaken, for they know that their end must be changed: Contemporary English Version says “They will tremble in fear because they know they will be changed when the end comes.”

A possible model that combines verses 14-16 is:

• Don’t be afraid if the ground starts shaking violently while the voice is speaking. The foundations of the earth will hear the voice, and start trembling and shaking, because they will know that it is speaking about the end of the world, and that they must undergo a change.”

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.