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TIRZAH
(Tirʹzah) [from a root meaning “take pleasure; approve”].
1. One of the five daughters of the Manassite Zelophehad; a contemporary of Moses and Joshua.—Nu 26:29, 33; 27:1-7; 36:11, 12; Jos 17:3, 4.
2. A city in Samaria. Archaeological evidence seems to favor identifying it with Tell el-Farʽah, about 10 km (6 mi) NNE of Shechem.
Under the command of Joshua, the Israelites defeated the king of Tirzah. (Jos 12:7, 24) Centuries later, Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom, transferred his residence to Tirzah. (Compare 1Ki 12:25; 14:17.) Tirzah evidently continued to be the capital of the northern kingdom during the reigns of Jeroboam’s son Nadab (1Ki 15:25-28) and his successors Baasha, Elah, and Zimri. (1Ki 15:33; 16:5, 6, 8, 15) The last of these kings, Zimri, committed suicide at Tirzah when Omri captured the city. (1Ki 16:17-20) After reigning in Tirzah for six years, Omri built Samaria and made that city his capital. (1Ki 16:23, 24, 29) More than 150 years later, Menahem, a resident of Tirzah, killed Shallum and became king in Samaria.—2Ki 15:14, 17.
