The story of the second battle begins with Abram finding out about Lot’s capture.
Then one who had escaped: Then serves to shift the action to a new sequence of events. This transition, which need not be marked in some languages, may require saying something like “Some time later” or “After these things had happened.” One who had escaped may require saying who he had escaped from; for example, “someone who had escaped from the four kings,” “a prisoner of the four kings escaped,” or “someone who had not been taken prisoner.” Examples from actual translations are “One of the men who had run away” and “But one man in that place escaped out of the hands of the soldiers.”
Abram the Hebrew introduces Abram into the story. The identification the Hebrew was hardly necessary for a Hebrew reader, a fact that has led many to assume this document did not originate from Israel. The expression is used, as in the case of Jonah 1.9, when a Hebrew is addressing foreigners. Westermann is of the opinion that this may be the addition of a later editor who wishes to contrast Abram’s tribal identity with the many names of peoples in verses 5-7. The Hebrew should not be dropped in translation, even though readers may already know this.
Who was living: living translates a verb that is sometimes used for living in tents, so Revised English Bible says “had his camp.” The sense of temporary living is expressed in some English translations by the verb “dwell” or, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, was living. In one translation this is expressed as “… found him at his settlement [camp] near the sacred trees….”
Oaks of Mamre the Amorite: in 13.18 Abram pitched his camp by “the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron.” There Mamre seems to be the name of a person. Here Mamre is also the name of a person who belongs to the people known as Amorites. For discussion of Amorite see 10.16.
Brother of Eshcol and of Aner: brother translates the Hebrew equivalent word, but notice also that the same Hebrew kin term is applied in verse 4 to Abram’s relation to Lot, who is not literally Abram’s brother but his nephew. See also comment on “kinsman” in 13.8. Therefore it is not at all certain that brother is to be taken literally here, although most modern translations say “brother.” It is not possible to say whether the word refers to an older or a younger brother, and in languages in which this distinction is required, it may be better to use a term meaning “relative, kinsman.” The names Eshcol and Aner are uncertain and may be place names used as personal names.
These were allies: these refers back not just to Eshcol and Aner but to all three, including Mamre. Allies of Abram is literally “possessors of a covenant with Abram.” The use of “covenant” here may refer to the process by which Abram and these three men became allies or stood together against their common enemies. That is, they would have sworn to help each other to fight their enemies and would have done so by swearing an oath of loyalty, along with any other ritual that might be involved. For discussion of covenant see 6.18 and 9.9.
In translation of allies it may be necessary to say, for example, “These three had promised to fight alongside Abram,” “These men and Abram had sworn to help each other in wars,” or “These three men were Abram’s helpers in case of war.” In one translation this is expressed in the brief phrase “friends in fighting,” while another says “they-three were friends of Abram and they-three had promised to join with him in time of war.”
There is no indication in the story that Abram’s allies accompanied him to rescue Lot, but in verse 24 Abram asks that they receive a share of the loot, which suggests that they did go with him.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .