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1 Samuel 5:9
ESV But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
NIV But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
NASB After they had taken it away, the hand of the Lord was against the city, creating a very great panic; and He struck the people of the city, from the young to the old, so that tumors broke out on them.
CSB After they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against the city of Gath, causing a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.
NLT But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the Lord’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.
KJV And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
NKJV So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

What does 1 Samuel 5:9 mean?

It seems unsurprising to those reading the story, but the same thing happens in Gath that was going on in Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:6). The Lord's judgment comes heavily against those who think they can hold His ark captive in their midst. He once again causes tumors to break out on the people. The exact nature of the disease is not clear, nor is the precise meaning of the term opālim, which can mean boils or even hemorrhoids. Later references to vermin (1 Samuel 6:4–5) have led to speculation this was something like bubonic plague. Such details are irrelevant to the point of the story, however, and are not given direct answers in the text itself.

What is mentioned, this time, is a more specific note that the tumors break out on all the men, young and old. It's unclear whether only the men were afflicted in Ashdod, or only some persons, or if the Lord had changed His focus. The Philistines in Gath do not receive this plague from the God of Israel with grim dignity. They panic. The implication is that God sent the chaos of fear as well as the tumors. History has shown, over and again, how fear of a spreading diseases leads to drastic measures. The city was in an uproar over this affliction now clearly understood to be brought on by the presence of the ark of Israel's God.
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