[Olog-hai]

It’s not wholly metaphorical.

God clearly refers to Himself as male. 2 Samuel 7:14 makes this clear, using the word “ab” and not “em” (mother).

The word in Old English that would be translated from “ish” in Numbers 23:19 would actually be “wer”. This word still survives in modern words like “werewolf”.

[Telepathic Intruder]

"God clearly refers to Himself as male"

Perhaps that is only for our benefit. Women do not have authority over men in a proper society (ladies, spare me your protests), so it's only right that God would resemble more closely the male counterpart of human. But does God have a physical body, like us? Is God a human male? So I don't think referring to Himself as a He is wholly literal.