More modern theology the phrase is seen as a metaphor. But I see that is worming the claim to fit the narative that Jews are the only chosen people, God hates everyone else according to the theme of the day
However if you study the bible in context of time through archeology you find thousands on inconsistencies and, frankly, far too many exaggerations for me to accept any of the teaching.
Genesis is clearly the story of one group of Nomadic tribes through various authors, all of which try to present a case that they were the first; the birth of mankind, ignoring archeological evidence that other peoples, including Egyptians and Greeks were in existence at this point. And, the bible exaggerates to the point of fiction. There could not have been "600,000" Israelite men, which the Pharoh saw as a threat to himself. Archeology shows NO signs of such a mass of people ever in Egypt.
Nor have archeologists been able to find evidence of a large group of peoples wandering in the desert, no graves, no toilets trace theses, etc.
Every culture of the Mediteranian basis has a flood myth. And that tale, Noah and a boat is outright fiction. There never was a Noah, not such a boat.