How the Bible is to be read and understood is by no means a simple matter.
There are a number of different ways of approaching the Bible and different Christian denominations will advocate one method over another.
This matter is further complicated by the huge variety of types of literature in the Bible, the different authors and the huge timescale over which the different books were written.
Some propose the Bible must be taken literally. This creates problems however as there are apparant contradictions and it also, for example, is very difficult to make this compatible with a scientific view of the world.
Others will suggest that many of the Biblical books should be read as myths that still, however, contain truths about God's relationship with humanity. While this may explain some of the contradictions and be compatible with science it does mean that the meaning of these myths is based on human judgement and could vary from person to person or denomination to denomination.