This verse may refer to the persecution of Christians that took place in 250 A.D. under the Roman emperor Decius.

For behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you: The conjunction For may be omitted (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). For the word behold, which highlights the message that follows, see 2 Esd 6.18. Burning wrath may be rendered “fiery anger” or “hot anger like a fire.” The great multitude refers to the Roman Empire. This clause may be translated “A vast mob of angry people [or, An enormous number of angry people] is ready to attack you like a fire.”

And they shall carry off some of you refers to capturing and dragging some of the Christians away.

And shall feed you what was sacrificed to idols: Whether it was proper for Christians to eat meat from animals that had been sacrificed to pagan gods was a severe ethical question for early Christians (see Acts 15.20; compare 2 Macc 6.7-8). For idols see the comments on 1 Esd 2.10.

Here are possible models for this verse:

• An enormous number of people are going to move against you in fiery anger. They will capture some of you and carry you off. They will make you eat meat that has been sacrificed to their gods.

• An enormous group of terribly angry people is ready to attack you. They will capture some of you….

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.