Spot on about the lack of detail concerning Isaac and Ishmael.

As for the flood, I have little doubt that it is not based on a "true" story, or many true stories, and the issue of saving a few farm animals could be the basis. Considering that the tale goes back to Sumer and, no doubt, was told orally before being recorded in Gilgamesh, we will never know. As for it being worldwide, if one's "world" consists of a town or farm, a huge flood would be "worldwide" as the flood waters could cover everything in sight.

Myth is often allegory for real people and real "things." There was a rich king named Midas--his tale is cautionary, not intended to be taken literally. The way between the Titans and Olympians allegory for war between northern invaders and the Pelasgians.

@Gwen_Wanderer My thoughts exactly, although I would not attribute allegory, with quite that much certainty, allegory is tricky, and one metaphor may stand for many things or even change what it stands for over time.

Another thought about the biblical world flood. Is that, as apologists like to point out, every culture has a world flood story, as though that proved the flood story. But then every culture can remember some floods, and since floods vary in size, from very little ones through big ones to truly huge ones. So it is inevitable that every culture will have a, "biggest flood of all" story.

And in every culture, there will come a late night, when the story teller is sleepy and fed up. Then some pedant on the other side of the camp fire, will surely ask. "How far did it go ? " And get the inpatient answer. "It was everywhere, OK !"

@Fernapple spot on about the flood myths. You might be familiar with the Black Sea theory about a deluge being the basis for the flood myth in the Mideast. Also, the melting glaciers at the end of the last ice age would have caused sea levels to rise.

Because so many widespread cultures have flood myths, it does not mean that they are all about the same flood or that it was worldwide.

Oral traditions get mixed up in the telling, for sure.

[en.wikipedia.org]

I once heard an American preacher say "if the bible said two plus two equals five I would accept it and find a way to justify the statement" very sad.

@Moravian It’s a sad indictment of human intelligence!

Of course, the lord was only testing Abraham. We should ask ourselves what kind of mentality would go along with such a "test."

@DenoPenno He was 99 years old when Isaac was born and he made him carry the wood for his own funeral pyre. That would mean that Abraham was 110 years plus. What a guy !!