They sent, that is, the people of the city of Gath sent the ark.

Ekron, located about sixteen kilometers (ten miles) north of Gath, was another Philistine city, as Good News Translation makes explicit. See also the comments on Gath in verse 8.

The second sentence of this verse begins just as does the initial sentence in verse 9, with “and it happened….” However, the contrasting conjunction But may be adequate in most languages to make the transition to Ekron.

To us … to slay us and our people: literally “to me the ark of the God of Israel to kill me and my people” (so La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet). These words, spoken in the first person singular, are a direct quotation of the people of Ekron. Probably the words are intended to represent the words of each individual, as also in Josh 9.7 and 17.14, where the first person singular is usually translated with the first person plural in English. In many languages it will be more natural to use the first person plural (so Good News Translation and most translations).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .