complete verse (Numbers 16:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 16:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “When all the people of Israel who were there had seen that, they fled saying, ‘The land/earth might also swallow us!’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The people who were there, hearing the sound of shrieking, went running away, thinking, "The earth will also swallow us up."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “All the Israelinhon who were there in their surrounding fled when they heard their screaming, for they are-thinking that they might be-swallowed by the ground too.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They screamed as they fell, and all the people who were standing nearby heard them scream. The people were terrified and cried out as they ran away, saying, ‘We do not want the ground to swallow us also!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 16:34

And all Israel that were round about them fled at their cry: All Israel that were round about them refers to the Israelites that witnessed the destruction of the rebels. Fled at their cry means the Israelites ran when they heard the rebels screaming as the earth was swallowing them. Not only sights, but sounds too added to the terrifying drama of the scene. New Living Translation translates this phrase as “fled when they heard their screams,” which is a more dramatic rendering than “fled when they heard their cry” in Good News Translation.

For they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”: The Israelites ran because they were afraid that the earth would swallow them also. Lest the earth swallow us up gives the reason for an unstated imperative, which Good News Translation makes explicit by adding “Run!” and so does Revised English Bible with “Look out!”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .