And when all the people saw … all the people would rise up is literally “And all the people saw … and all the people rose.” But the idea of repeated action continues, so the use of when and would expresses this. Good News Translation has “As soon as the people saw … they would.” New International Version uses “Whenever.” The pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent uses the same words as verse 9. The tent means “the tent of meeting.”

All the people would rise up and worship is literally “and all the people rose and bowed low.” The words for rise up and worship suggest two opposite positions—standing up and then bowing to the ground. The word for worship, in fact, suggests prostrating oneself on the ground. (See 4.31 and 18.7.) But this should probably not be understood as two separate actions, since the people would already be standing (verse 9). Good News Translation does not repeat would rise up but simply has “As soon as the people saw … they would bow down.” And Revised English Bible has “As soon as the people saw … they would all prostrate themselves.” Every man at his tent door is identical with verse 8.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .