THERSA (Hebr. Tirzāh; Gr. Θεραΐ). - A city of ancient Palestine (Ios. 12, 24), situated in the territory of the tribe of Manasse (Num. 27, 1; Ios. 17, 3), chosen by Ieroboam as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel (I Reg. 14, 17).
His successors Bassa and Ela, and the usurper Zimri, resided there; when besieged there by Amri, the latter preferred death in the fire which he himself set to the royal Palace. After dwelling there for six years, Amri abandoned it SAMALIA (v.), the new capital (I Reg. 15,21,33; 16,6-23). In 743 Manahem, probably governor of T., marched against Samaria and killed the King there; having seized power, he fought the resistance, devastating the territory of Thapsa (to be read, with the Gr., Tappūah) as far as T. (II Reg. 15, 13).
The site of the city, admired for its beauty and compared with Jerusalem (Cant. 6,4), has not yet been identified. Among the many localities proposed, Talūzah, Tejāṣir, and el-'Araq having been discarded, two enjoy the greatest probability: Gemma'in, an imposing archaeological hill, in the area of Tappūah (= Tell Sejī Abū Zarad), whose proximity is suggested by the episode of Manahem (II Reg. 15, 13); and Tell el-Fār'ah, northeast of Nābulus, where important excavations are under way that may provide a solution to the problem.