The men: or better “the people” (New Century Version) or “those [who did not die]” (New International Version, Revised English Bible). See the comments on verse 7.

Tumors: see verse 6.

The cry of the city: in many languages it will be more natural to use a verb and say “the people of the city cried out.”

Went up to heaven: compare Exo 2.23, which says that the cry of the people of Israel “went up to God.” Very little is known about the religion of the Philistines. In addition to Dagon, they no doubt worshiped numerous other gods (see 6.5). The translation of this phrase should not suggest that the Philistines were praying to Yahweh, the God of the Israelites. New Jerusalem Bible, perhaps more appropriately, translates “rose to the sky.”

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 .