# God made panic to fall on the cities

God causing the people of the cities to be afraid of [Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob) and his family is spoken of as if panic were an object that fell on the cities. The abstract noun "panic" can be stated as "afraid." AT: "God made the people in the surrounding cities afraid of [Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob) and those with him" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])

# on the cities

Here "cities" stands for the people who live in the cities. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# the sons of [Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob)

It is implied that no one attacked anyone in [Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob)'s family. But two of the sons, Simeon and Levi had attacked the Canaanites relatives of [Shechem](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/shechem) after he seized and slept with [Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob)'s daughter. [Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob) was afraid they would seek revenge in [Genesis 34:30](../34/30.md). AT: "[Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob)'s family" or "[Jacob](rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob)'s household" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])