While Orthodox Judaism (and be careful, there are distinct flavours of what 'Orthodox' means and multiple authorities) holds the Torah to be the revealed truth of God, the concept of an "obvious, literal interpretation" of anything is anathema to Judaism. You're supposed to struggle with the texts, peeling back layers of meaning, context and application, finding patterns, etc. The truth doesn't come from reading a verse, but through a lifetime of focussed study. It is also part of the tradition that the revealed truth is understood in the context of the world as it is experienced---G-d doesn't lie. If your observations contradict your understanding of the Torah, your understanding is flawed.