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 .