At that time friends shall make war on friends like enemies: Compare 2 Esd 5.9.

And the earth and those who inhabit it shall be terrified may be rendered “The earth and everyone on it will shake with fear.”

And the springs of the fountains shall stand still, so that for three hours they shall not flow: New English Bible renders the springs of the fountains as “Running streams,” which is a helpful model, but the meaning of the Latin phrase here is not completely clear. Other apocalypses speak of rivers or streams drying up (see Stone, page 171), but the reference to them not flowing for three hours has no known parallel.

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• At that time friends will fight each other like enemies. The earth and everyone on it will shake with fear. Running streams will stop flowing for three hours.

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.