h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It is interesting to note that in the Genesis book of the Bible, Abraham's son Ishmael (by his wife's maidservant) was told by God that he would grow become leader of a great nation himself. It is widely accepted that the Arab tribes were decended from Ishmael, whilst the Jewish tribes were decended from Issac, Abraham's other son.

This is what you call a long-standing feud; and no end in sight.

abrahim "s wife was the mother of his legal son who was younger to the maid"s son abrahim was even prepared to sacrifice his only son on the orders of god on the sacred mountain

The problem with saying "his only son" is that for 13 years before the birth of Issac, Ishmael was Abraham's only son. Does this mean that God waited 20 years or so before asking Abraham to sacrifice Issac? If so, why did he then call Isaac his "only son" when he had previously recognised Ishmael as being Abraham's son as well?
A very confusing part of the Bible i think.

Or revealing -- of the status of "children of the wife's maid".