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Tirzah


Tihr´zuh; Heb., “pleasantness”

1 One of the five daughters of Zelophahad who appealed to Moses for adjustment of the inheritance custom. This incident gives a glimpse of Israelite attention to issues of justice and of land tenure (Num 26:33; Num 27:1-11; Num 36:5-12; Josh 17:3-6). 2 The region belonging to the clan of Tirzah. 3 A city listed as one whose king was defeated by Joshua (Josh 12:24). It was probably a Canaanite city-state in the thirteenth century BCE. Three hundred years later, it emerged as Jeroboam’s capital (1Kgs 14:17; cf. v. 12). Baasha, who usurped control from Jeroboam’s family, reigned from Tirzah (1Kgs 15:21; 1Kgs 15:33; 1Kgs 16:6); when Zimri displaced Baasha’s family, the coup occurred at Tirzah (1Kgs 16:8-9). When Omri besieged Zimri at Tirzah, Zimri burned its citadel and palace down upon himself; Omri then consolidated his reign at Tirzah before moving the capital to Samaria (1Kgs 16:15-23). Around 745 BCE Tirzah reappeared as the base of operations for Menahem, still another usurper of the throne (2Kgs 15:14; 2Kgs 15:16).

  • Powell, Mark Allan, ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Abridged Edition. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.