The Nations Asked Balaam If the Quaking Meant Another Flood

"The mountains melted [quaked] from before the LORD" (Judges 5:5). For when the Omnipresent stood and said, "I am the LORD your God," the earth trembled and all the kings of the earth shook in their palaces, as it is said, "The voice of the LORD is in power, the voice of the LORD is in majesty" (Psalms 29:4), "and in His temple all say, Glory" (Psalms 29:9) — until their houses were filled with the radiance of the Divine Presence. At that hour all the nations of the world gathered and came to Balaam. They said to him, "Perhaps the Omnipresent is destroying His world with a flood?" He said to them, "Fools of the world! The Holy One, blessed be He, already swore to Noah that He would not bring a flood upon the world, as it is said, 'For this is to Me as the waters of Noah' (Isaiah 54:9)." They said to him, "A flood of water He will not bring, but He will bring a flood of fire." He said to them, "He will bring neither a flood of water nor a flood of fire. Rather, the Omnipresent is giving the Torah to His people, as it is said, 'The LORD will give strength to His people' (Psalms 29:11)." And when they heard this matter from his mouth, they all turned and went, each to his own place. Therefore the nations of the world were summoned [and held accountable]. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to exact punishment from Seir, He is destined to shake the whole world over its inhabitants.