Why are there so many stories about men in the Bible and so few about women?
I don’t know the answer to this. I don’t, however, believe it exhibits any great preference for men. After all, most of the stories about men in the Bible are not exactly complimentary ones. And while there are stories about bad women in the Bible, and questionable ones, there are more about good women than there are about good men.
Here, in chapter 27, we have the stories of five of them – Zelophehad’s daughters.
These women exhibit great courage. In a society run by men, they appear with their complaint before the Tent of Meeting. They have prepared themselves well. Their father died in the wilderness for no special reason other than that was his lot. It seemed unfair then that he, without a male heir, should lose a part of the land promised to God’s people when no one else did. Notice that the sisters do not come asking for themselves (though they will surely profit), but for the honor of their father.
Notice also they bring their request to God, believing God will do right.
In the end, God gives them more than they asked for (not apparent in the English text). They ask for their father’s portion. God gives them their own portion that they may pass on to their children.
The story also gives us insight to the creation of law. God didn’t just hand down all the rules from on High. Some of them had to be worked out as time and circumstance called for them.