Some translations set poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to show that it is poetry. ULB does this with the poetry in 14:19-20.
Sometimes the names of places in Scripture are referred to by the name used during the time of the writer. For example, the location referred to as Dan was not yet known by that name because Dan had not yet come to live there. Moses, the author of Genesis, would have known this location as Dan.
Melchizedek was both a priest and a king. Because of this, he parallels the roles of Jesus. Melchizedek is an important figure in the book of Hebrews. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#priest)
Melchizedek worshiped the God Most High. This is probably a reference to the true and only God who created the heavens and the earth and came to be known as Yahweh. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#heaven)
This phrase is used here to mark the beginning of a new part of the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here.
"in the time of"
These are names of men. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
These are names of places. See how you translated "Shinar" in Genesis 10:10 (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
"they went to war" or "they started a war" or "they prepared for war"
The information that their armies were with them can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "These latter five kings and their armies joined together" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
The events in verses 4-7 happened before verse 3. Your language may have a way of showing this.
They probably had to pay him taxes and serve in his army. Alternate translation: "they had been under the control of Kedorlaomer" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
"they refused to serve him" or "they stopped serving him"
They did this because the other kings rebelled.
These are the names of people groups. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
These are the names of places. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This name in Hebrew is different from the name of Noah's son, which is spelled the same way in English.
This is the name of a people group. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
These are the names of places. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This phrase helps readers understand where El Paran was. It can be translated as a separate sentence if necessary. Alternate translation: "El Paran. El Paran is near the desert" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)
Verses 8 and 9 repeats what was said in Genesis 14:3 and continues to tell what happened when the kings came together to fight.
The word "they" refers to the four foreign kings who were attacking the region of Canaan. Their names were Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, and Tidal. Alternate translation: "they turned and went" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)
This phrase tells which Amorite people were defeated. There were other Amorite people who lived in other places.
The city of Bela was also called Zoar. This information could also be put at the end of the sentence. "the king of Bela went out and prepared for battle. Bela is also called Zoar."
"joined battle" or "drew up battle lines." Some translators may need to also say that the armies fought, as the UDB does in verse 9. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Since the five kings were listed first, some languages might prefer to translate this as "five kings against four."
This word introduces background information about the valley of Siddim. Your language may have another way of introducing background information. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)
"had many tar pits." These were holes in the ground that had tar in them.
a thick, sticky, black liquid that comes up from the ground. See how this is translated in Genesis 11:3.
Here the kings represent themselves and their armies. Alternate translation: the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their armies" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)
Possible meanings are 1) some of their soldiers fell in the tar pits or 2) the kings themselves fell in the tar pits. Since Genesis 14:17 says that the king of Sodom went to meet Abram, the first meaning is more likely correct. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
"Those who did not die in battle and did not fall in the pits"
The words "Sodom" and "Gomorrah" are metonyms for the people who lived in those cities. Alternate translation: "the wealth of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah" or "the property of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
"their food and drink"
"they went away"
The phrases "Abram's brother's son" and "who was living in Sodom" remind the reader of things that were written earlier about Lot. Alternate translation: "they also took Lot, along with all his possessions. Lot was Abram's brother's son and was living in Sodom at that time" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)
"A man escaped from the battle and came"
"Abram was living." This introduces background information. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)
"were treaty-partners with Abram" or "had a peace agreement with Abram"
This is a reference to Abram's nephew Lot.
"three hundred and eighteen trained men" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
"men who were trained to fight"
"men who were born in Abram's household." They were children of Abram's servants.
"chased them"
This is a city in the far north of Canaan, far from Abram's camp.
This elliptical statement probably refers to a battle strategy. Alternate translation: "At night Abram divided his men—he attacked them from one side and his servants attacked them from another—and"
"men of war." They served him by fighting for him.
This refers to the things that the enemies had stolen from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
"Lot's property that the enemies had stolen from Lot"
"as well as the women and other people that the four kings had captured"
The implied information about where he was returning to can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "returned to where he was living" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
This is the first time this king is mentioned.
People commonly ate bread and wine. See how you translated "bread" in Genesis 3:19 and "wine" in Genesis 9:21.
King Melchizedek blessed Abram.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "May God Most High, the Creator of heaven and earth, bless Abram" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
This refers to the place where God lives.
"God Most High, because he has given." The phrase starting with "who has given" tells us something more about God Most High.
This is a way of praising God. See how you translated "blessed be" in Genesis 9:26.
"into your control" or "into your power"
The phrase "the people" may refer to the people of Sodom that the enemies had captured. Abram rescued them when he rescued Lot.
This means "I have taken an oath" or "I have made a promise."
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This double negative emphasizes that what the young men have eaten is all that Abram would take. Alternate translation: "I will take from you only what my young men have eaten."
It seems that Abram's soldiers had eaten some of the supplies during the journey back to Sodom after the battle.
The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "the share of the recovered property that belongs to the men who helped me get it back" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
These are the allies of Abram (Genesis 14:13). Because they were Abram's allies they fought battles alongside him. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "my allies Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)