Bible Dictionaries
Tirzah

Holman Bible Dictionary

(tuhr' zuh) Personal and place name meaning, “she is friendly.” 1. Daughter of Zelophehad who inherited part of tribal land allotment of Manasseh since her father had no sons.

2. Originally a Canaanite city noted for its beauty (Song of Song of Solomon 6:4 ) but captured in the conquest of the Promised Land (Joshua 12:24 ). It became one of the early capitals of Israel when Jeroboam I established his residence there (1 Kings 14:17 ) and continued as the capital until Omri built Samaria (1 Kings 16:23-24 ). Archaeological discoveries, coupled with biblical references, suggest that Tirzah is to be identified with modern tell el-Fara, a tell of extraordinary size about seven miles northeast of Shechem. The area evidently was first occupied before 3000 B.C. and flourished, off and on, as a Canaanite city until its capture by Joshua between 1550 and1200 B.C. It remained an Israelite city until the Assyrian conquest of 722 B.C. By 600 B.C., Tirzah was completely abandoned.

Hugh Tobias