See how you translated similar words in [1 Samuel 3:3](../03/01.md). This is the a same as the "ark of the covenant of God" in [1 Samuel 4:3-4](../04/03.md).
Possible meanings are 1) they were speaking the proper name of the God of Israel or 2) they believed that Israel worshiped one of many gods, "the god of Israel." See how you translated this in [1 Samuel 5:7](./06.md).
# there was a deathly panic throughout the city
"people all over the city were afraid that they were going to die"
# the hand of God was very heavy there
The hand is a metonym for God punishing the people. "Yahweh was punishing the people there very severely" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
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