The Ten Tribes were all Exiled! 9 September 2026, 27 Elul 5785.
Contents:
1. Three Major Exiles by Assyria.
2. To Egypt?
The Ten Tribes in Scripture exiled to Egypt as well as to Assyria?
3. Israel and Judah to Return Together.
4. How Many Tribes were there Really?
5. Simeon Exiled?
6. Nachmanide and the Quorum of Ten Tribes.
7. Gozan and Angel
TubalCain ("Eric"):
8. Amos: Edom and the Philistines Invovled in the Captivity.
9. Gog and Magog and the End Times,
10. Summation.
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1. Three Major Exiles by Assyria.
The northern Israelites became the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.
They were exiled by the Assyrians in three stages.
(a) .East of the Jordan Tribes.
1-Chronicles (TCB) 5:
26 AND THE LORD INSPIRED PUL THE KING OF ASSYRIA AND TILLEGATH-PILNESER THE KING OF ASSYRIA, AND THEY EXILED THE REUBENITES, THE GADITES, AND HALF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH, AND BROUGHT THEM TO HALAH, AND HABOR, AND HARA, AND THE GOZAN RIVER UNTIL THIS DAY.
(b) Upper Galilee Tribes.
2-Kings (TCB) 15:
29 IN THE DAYS OF PEKAH THE KING OF ISRAEL, TIGLATH-PILESER THE KING OF ASSYRIA CAME AND TOOK IJON, ABEL-BETH-MAACAH, JANOAH, KEDESH, HAZOR, GILEAD, AND GALILEE, THE ENTIRE LAND OF NAPHTALI; AND HE EXILED THEM TO ASSYRIA.
(c) Samaria.
2-Kings (TCB) 17:
5 AND THE KING OF ASSYRIA WENT UP THROUGH THE ENTIRE LAND, AND HE WENT UP TO SAMARIA AND BESIEGED IT THREE YEARS.
6 IN THE NINTH YEAR OF HOSHEA, THE KING OF ASSYRIA TOOK SAMARIA AND EXILED THE ISRAELITES TO ASSYRIA, AND HE REPATRIATED THEM IN HALAH, AND IN HABOR, THE GOZAN RIVER, AND THE CITIES OF MEDIA.
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2. To Egypt?
The Ten Tribes in Scripture exiled to Egypt as well as to Assyria?
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/bible/ttsegypt.html
Rabbi Chaim Chanon ("Chazon Ha-Naviim" [Vision of the Prophets], Jerusalem, 5774, p.285 ff
# In the Book of Kings it is clarified that the Ten Tribes were exiled to Assyria, to Halah, Habor, the river Gozan, and the cities of the Medes. Additional areas are not recalled but in five passages of the Later Prophets it is expressly stated that they were also exiled to Mitsraim [Egypt]. #
In a footnote Chanon discusses the possibility that after being taken to the north some of the Ten Tribes were relocated to Egypt. An Assyrian inscription boasts of the conquest of Egypt and of mixing the populations of Assyria and Egypt together.
Chanon emphasizes:
# THIS SHOULD BE MADE QUITE CLEAR: IN EVERY PLACE IN THE LATTER PROPHETS WHERE EXILATIONS TO EGYPT AND ASSYRIA ARE MENTIONED, THE INTENTION IS ONLY TO THE TEN TRIBES... #
Hosea 9:
3 THEY SHALL NOT REMAIN IN THE LAND OF THE LORD;
BUT EPHRAIM SHALL RETURN TO EGYPT,
AND IN ASSYRIA THEY SHALL EAT UNCLEAN FOOD.
Hosea 11:
8 HOW CAN I GIVE YOU UP, EPHRAIM?
HOW CAN I HAND YOU OVER, O ISRAEL?
9 I WILL NOT EXECUTE MY FIERCE ANGER;
I WILL NOT AGAIN DESTROY EPHRAIM.
10 THEY SHALL GO AFTER THE LORD,
WHO ROARS LIKE A LION;
WHEN HE ROARS,
HIS CHILDREN SHALL COME TREMBLING FROM THE WEST.
11 THEY SHALL COME TREMBLING LIKE BIRDS FROM EGYPT,
AND LIKE DOVES FROM THE LAND OF ASSYRIA;
AND I WILL RETURN THEM TO THEIR HOMES, SAYS THE LORD.
Zechariah 10:
10 I WILL BRING THEM HOME FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT,
AND GATHER THEM FROM ASSYRIA;
I WILL BRING THEM TO THE LAND OF GILEAD AND TO LEBANON,
UNTIL THERE IS NO ROOM FOR THEM.
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3. Israel and Judah to Return Together.
Isaiah refers to the Exiles returning in the End Times but he appears to intend those of both Judah (the Jews) and of Ephraim, i.e. the Lost Ten Tribes:
Isaiah (TCB) 11:
10 AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THAT DAY, THAT THE ROOT OF JESSE, WHICH STANDS AS A BANNER FOR PEOPLES, TO HIM SHALL THE NATIONS INQUIRE, AND HIS PEACE SHALL BE [WITH] HONOR.
11 AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT ON THAT DAY, THE LORD SHALL CONTINUE TO APPLY HIS HAND A SECOND TIME TO ACQUIRE THE REST OF HIS PEOPLE, THAT WILL REMAIN FROM ASSYRIA AND FROM EGYPT AND FROM PATHROS AND FROM CUSH AND FROM ELAM AND FROM SUMERIA AND FROM HAMATH AND FROM THE ISLANDS OF THE SEA.
12 AND HE SHALL RAISE A BANNER TO THE NATIONS, AND HE SHALL GATHER THE LOST OF ISRAEL, AND THE SCATTERED ONES OF JUDAH HE SHALL GATHER FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH.
13 AND THE ENVY OF EPHRAIM SHALL CEASE, AND THE ADVERSARIES OF JUDAH SHALL BE CUT OFF; EPHRAIM SHALL NOT ENVY JUDAH, NOR SHALL JUDAH VEX EPHRAIM.
14 AND THEY SHALL FLY OF ONE ACCORD AGAINST THE PHILISTINES IN THE WEST , TOGETHER THEY SHALL PLUNDER THE CHILDREN OF THE EAST; UPON EDOM AND MOAB SHALL THEY STRETCH FORTH THEIR HAND, AND THE CHILDREN OF AMMON SHALL OBEY THEM.
15 AND THE LORD SHALL DRY UP THE TONGUE OF THE EGYPTIAN SEA, AND HE SHALL LIFT HIS HAND OVER THE RIVER WITH THE STRENGTH OF HIS WIND, AND HE SHALL BEAT IT INTO SEVEN STREAMS, AND HE SHALL LEAD [THE EXILES] WITH SHOES.
16 AND THERE SHALL BE A HIGHWAY FOR THE REMNANT OF HIS PEOPLE WHO REMAIN FROM ASSYRIA, AS THERE WAS FOR ISRAEL ON THE DAY THEY WENT UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT.
"THE LOST OF ISRAEL, AND THE SCATTERED ONES OF JUDAH" (11:12) are both referred to but as two distinct entities.
The Midrash (Numbers Rabah 1;6, Eichah Rabah 2;9, Jerusalemi Sanhedrin ch.17, L.6,29) comments:
~ Rabbi Berachiah and Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: To three places was Israel exiled, one to beyond the Sambation River, one to Daphneh of Antiochia, and one to where the Clouds came down and covered them; in the same way that they [i.e.the northern Israelites west of the Jordan River] were exiled to three places, so too were the Tribes [east of the Jordan River] of Reuben, Gad, and half Menasseh, exiled to three places. When they shall return so too will Reuben, Gad, and half Menasseh return with them. How do we know all this?
~` From the verse, "Say to the prisoners go forth" (Isaiah 49;9):
These are those exiled beyond the Sambation River.
"To them that are in darkness, shew yourselves" (Isaiah 49;9): These are those whom the cloud descended upon and covered.
"They shall feed in the ways, and in all high places their pastures" (Isaiah 49;9): These are those who were exiled to Daphne of Antiochea.~'
Ten Tribes in One Place; Jews all over the world!
# Said Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Simon, Not to the place where the Ten Tribes were exiled were the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin exiled. The Ten Tribes were exiled beyond the River Sambation. The Tribes of Judah and Benjamin are scattered all over the world. #
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4. How Many Tribes were there Really?
Jacob who was renamed Israel begat 12 sons.
In order of their birth the sons of Jacob were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.
Joseph was divided into two Tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh.
There were therefore strictly speaking 13 Tribes!
All of the Tribes were allotted their own territory apart from Levi whose inheritance was scattered among the other Tribes.
The Bible maintains a quorum of 12 Tribes by either:
Counting Ephraim and Manasseh as the one Tribes of Joseph.
Counting Ephraim and Manasseh as separate Tribes but not including Levi since Levi did not receive a separate inheritance.
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5. Simeon Exiled? Ajrud in Sinai.
Did Simeon go with the Ten Tribes or Remain with Judah?
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/tribes/simeonexiled.html
The Bible indicates that Simeon had been absorbed by Judah.
Joshua 19: 19 THE SECOND LOT CAME OUT FOR SIMEON, FOR THE TRIBE OF THE CHILDREN OF SIMEON ACCORDING TO THEIR FAMILIES. AND THEIR INHERITANCE WAS WITHIN THE INHERITANCE OF THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH.
Also the inheritance of Simeon was to the south of Judah not to its north.Even so we find Simeon existing as a separate entity.
Kuntillet Ajrud is an archaeological site in the Northern Sinai. It would have been within the domain of Simeon or just south of it (see Map). We associate the site with the Tribe of Simeon. Archaeological findings and inscriptions show that this site was culturally and apparently also politically associated with the northern Kingdom of Samaria of the Ten Tribes. It may have been ruled from Samaria. The archaeological finds are consistent with a provenance from northern Israel.
We also find Biblical Passages showing that Simeon at a later date established its own independents settlements to the east of the Jordan River.
1-Chronicles 4:
40 THEY FOUND RICH AND GOOD PASTURE, AND THE LAND WAS BROAD AND QUIET AND PEACEFUL; FOR THOSE WHO LIVED THERE FORMERLY WERE HAMITES. 41 THESE, RECORDED BY NAME, CAME IN THE DAYS OF HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH, AND ATTACKED THEIR TENTS AND THE MEUNITES WHO WERE FOUND THERE, AND DESTROYED THEM UTTERLY TO THIS DAY, AND LIVED IN THEIR PLACE, BECAUSE THERE WAS PASTURE THERE FOR THEIR FLOCKS. 42 FROM THEM, FROM THE SONS OF SIMEON, FIVE HUNDRED MEN WENT TO MOUNT SEIR, WITH PELATIAH, NEARIAH, REPHAIAH AND UZZIEL, THE SONS OF ISHI, AS THEIR LEADERS. 43 THEY DESTROYED THE REMNANT OF THE AMALEKITES WHO ESCAPED, AND HAVE LIVED THERE TO THIS DAY.
Here we have two different movements of Migration of Simeon during the reign of Hezekiah of Judah which overlapped the Final Stage in the Exile of the Ten Tribes. First one group moved moved eastward. Then another group separated from them and went to the north. Apart from Mount Seir in the south there was another area called by the same name in the region of Armenia.
Simeon Exiled
Did Simeon go with the Ten Tribes or Remain with Judah?
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/tribes/simeonexiled.html
The two halves of Manasseh were counted together as one Tribe, not two. The Kingdom of Judah originally included mainly only descendants of Judah and Benjamin. Later they were joined by most of Levi and minority representative elements from the others. A good portion of Simeon may have also remained with Judah but most of Simeon was exiled with the Ten Tribes and is counted as part of it.
A Midrash (Seder Olam) says that in the time of the Assyrians all of Simeon were taken away by a King of "Cush" which could mean either Africa or India and/or its neighborhood.
A divergent opinion:
Rabbi Fishel Mael says that the Ten Tribes were Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulon, Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Manasseh in the west; the half-Tribe of Manasseh in the east. He quotes, the "Maharsha" (Rabbi Shmuel Eidels 1555 - 1631, Poland, on the Talmud, Sota, 70;a) who in effect says that Simeon remained with Judah.
it may be that many from Simeon did remain with Judah and are now part of the Jews BUT from the Tribal Points of View they separated and were exiled together with the LTTs.
Fishel Mael quotes sources showing that in effect many from Simeon and Judah attached themselves to the Tribe of Manasseh.
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6. Nachmanide and the Quorum of Ten Tribes.
1-Kings 11: 35 but I will take the kingdom from his son's hand and give it to you, even Ten Tribes.
Nachmanides (i.e. "Ramban" [Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman] 1194-1270) in the 'Book of Redemption' ("Sefer Ha-Geulah" part one) points out that none of the Ten Tribes, including those from Simeon, are recorded as returning with the Jews from Babylon:
# Behold I will recall a matter that is expressly mentioned many times in Scripture. It is known that with the Return of the Exiles under Ezra only the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned. These had been exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
# There was no Redemption for the Ten Tribes who remained in exile.
# It has been made quite clear from our study that the only ones who returned from the Babylonian Exile were they who belonged to the Kingdom of Judah. Those however who are termed the House of Ephraim, or The House of Israel, meaning the Ten Tribes are still in Exile in Assyria. These Tribes did not have any participants in the Second Redemption, as I have noted...
# The Ten Tribes had already been exiled and they are still in Exile, in the area of the Canaanites, even unto Zaraphath:
'And this first exile of the children of Israel who are [now] from Canaan unto Zaraphath' [Obadiah 1:20].
# These places are at the extremes of the north. ...
Nachmanides also quotes the Midrash Seder Olam to the effect that a large number of refugees from the Northern Tribes (comprising about 20% of the total later population of Judah) did in some way or other gravitate to Judah. They may have been many from Simeon among them. Nachmanides explains that they were not mentioned in the Census of Ezra and Nehemiah since their destiny as Distinct Tribes was to be realized among the Exiled Ten Tribes more than in Judah.
Midrashim such as Seder Olam (quoted by Abarbanel) also say the Tribe of Simeon was exiled around the same time as the Northern Tribes though separately from them.
A completely correct worship of the Almighty is only possible when it is recognized that Israel consists of ALL Twelve Tribes (Commentary "Ha-Akedah" by Rabbi Isaac Arama 1402-1494 quoted in "Mishbetsot Zahav").
Another authority, Tosefot in the Talmud, Arakin 32;A, SAYS THAT, 'FROM EACH AND EVERY TRIBE A FEW RETURNED']. THESE FEW WERE NOT ENOUGH TO BE TERMED A TRIBE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT OR EVEN PART OF A TRIBE. DUE TO THEIR MINORITY POSITION THEY WERE INCLUDED AMONGST THE TWO TRIBES OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN AND DWELT IN THEIR CITIES. THIS SECOND REDEMPTION (in the time of Ezra and the 2nd Temple) WAS NOT MEANT FOR THE OTHER TRIBES.
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7. Gozan and Angel
TubalCain ("Eric"):
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/guest/eric1/sundries7.html#a2
There was an ancient town of Angltun not far from the region of Gozan on the Habour River. (where the LTTs had been exiled to) In old English 'tun' means a town,so Angltun may mean "English town". The pagan diety Thork of the Armenians was worshipped in this area. It was common among the Armenians to prefix their words with a -k, so Thork is "Thor" and "Thor" was the weather deity of the early English and Scandinavians. Thork is the Hittite weather diety Tar, which had an iconography similar to Thor.
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8. Amos: Edom and the Philistines Involved in the Captivity.
In the Book of Amos it says:.
Amos (NKJV) 1:.
6 THUS SAYS THE LORD:
FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF GAZA, AND FOR FOUR,
I WILL NOT TURN AWAY ITS PUNISHMENT,
BECAUSE THEY TOOK CAPTIVE THE WHOLE CAPTIVITY
TO DELIVER THEM UP TO EDOM.
7 BUT I WILL SEND A FIRE UPON THE WALL OF GAZA,
WHICH SHALL DEVOUR ITS PALACES.
8 I WILL CUT OFF THE INHABITANT FROM ASHDOD,
AND THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE SCEPTER FROM ASHKELON;
I WILL TURN MY HAND AGAINST EKRON,
AND THE REMNANT OF THE PHILISTINES SHALL PERISH,
SAYS THE LORD GOD.
9 THUS SAYS THE LORD:
FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF TYRE, AND FOR FOUR,
I WILL NOT TURN AWAY ITS PUNISHMENT,
BECAUSE THEY DELIVERED UP THE WHOLE CAPTIVITY TO EDOM,
AND DID NOT REMEMBER THE COVENANT OF BROTHERHOOD.
10 BUT I WILL SEND A FIRE UPON THE WALL OF TYRE,
WHICH SHALL DEVOUR ITS PALACES.
11 THUS SAYS THE LORD:
FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF EDOM, AND FOR FOUR,
I WILL NOT TURN AWAY ITS PUNISHMENT,
BECAUSE HE PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD,
AND CAST OFF ALL PITY;
HIS ANGER TORE PERPETUALLY,
AND HE KEPT HIS WRATH FOREVER.
12 BUT I WILL SEND A FIRE UPON TEMAN,
WHICH SHALL DEVOUR THE PALACES OF BOZRAH.
In the above passage the Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, and THE REMNANT OF THE PHILISTINES are excoriated. So are the Canaanite Phoenicans of Tyre. Both Gaza of the Philistines and Tyre are condemned for delivering the "Captivity" of Israelites to Edom. Edom itself is ultimately cursed for having played a major role in the Exile and acting with great cruelty. The Edomite centers of Teman and Bozrah are mentioned. These were not in the Land of Edom as we know it but rather in the area of Mesopotamia and to the North.
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9. Gog and Magog and the End Times,
Ezekiel and the Prophet Yoel speak of the Final Battles against Gog and Magog. In the Wars of Gog and Magog Judah and the Ten Tribes will have reunited and divided the Holy Land from the Nile to the Euphrates between them. They will be living in peace with Jerusalem as their capital. Gog and Magog from the Far North and numerous other Peoples of the World will unite and attempt to destroy the Returning Israelites (Ezekiel chs. 38, 39). The forces of Gog and Magog will be destroyed. After that God will establish a new Temple and dwell with his people for a period of lasting peace (chs 40-48).
2-Chronicles 30:1-11 explicitly mentions northern Israelites who had been spared by the Assyrians in particular, members of Dan, Ephraim, Manasseh, Asher, and Zebulun, and how members of the latter three returned to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem at that time. Jewish historian Josephus wrote that "there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers."
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10. Summation.
I saw a Christian spokesman for Creation Ministries International was asked about the Ten Tribes.
He quoted sources showing that members of the Ten Tribes were still around Judea in 2nd Temple Times.
This is correct BUT the LTTs are still exiled. Those of them who somehow or other remained with, or re-attached themselves to, Judah, do not represent their Tribe.
This has been shown above.
The LTTs on the whole converged among Western Peoples.
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