Is the God of the Bible Male, Female or Both

I have read for years commentary the "God" referred to in the Bible could be female. I assumed that those who made this argument simply were not Christians/Jews and concluded since no one has ever seen or talked to this imaginary being it could be non gender specific. Now, however, reading A Most Peculiar Book; The Inherent Strangeness of the Bible by Kristin Swenson I understand at least a little more about it. She makes the case that when one goes back to what may (or may not) be the original writing which was in the Hebrew Old Testament there are unorthodox ideas. She translates that writing in a possible plural god as in gods, and an Adam and god which were not gender specific. Referring to the creation story she writes

This story suggests God is both masculine and feminine, just as human beings are both male and female. You can debate this--the Bible invites such discussion--but there is no avoiding the fact this text suggests a a deity that isn't strictly male but rather equally male and female.

The word used for the deity is neutral. But the pronouns are "him" and "he." Swenson says that while ancient Hebrew did have gender neutral noun for god and Adam it did not have gender neutral pronouns. There was an opportunity to use either he or she. Since men were writing these stories the "he" was favored. It is from all of this the case, which seem legitimate to me, the Jewish/Christian God could have been of both genders in the minds of those which originally came up with the God idea.

Author Swenson also combs carefully through us of the word or words naming the god. She says the word used for God is elohim. This is plural. Had it referred to one god the correct word would have been eloah. She quotes another scholar or two who think the original concept was a panel of gods thus reference to the plural elohim. As time went on and scribes revised the writing the main god survived as the "only" god even though it may never have been intended. 

Some branches of Christianity, Catholics and Lutherans come to mind, preach that poking into such detail is not appropriate for lay Christians. Better to leave figuring out A Most Peculiar Book to those clergy assigned to make decisions about what the peculiar book says and means. For the rest of us, not put in hand cuffs (or brain cuffs), we are free to read about and consider interpretations that are outside the box.