Answers to Questions by Yair Davidiy
What are the best theories for what happened to the ten lost tribes?
The ONLY theory that is consistent with Biblical, Historical, and other evidence is the one that finds the Lost Ten Tribes among Western Nations.
According to the Bible Ten out of the Twelve Tribes of Israel split away from the Kingdom of Israel and Judah when Solomon died (I-Kings 12:19). They formed their own kingdom of "Israel" (I-Kings 12:20) and were exiled by the Assyrians (2-Kings 17:18). Those who were not exiled became the Jewish people otherwise referred to as Judah. The Ten Tribes and Judah are destined to re-unite (Jeremiah 16:10-15, Hosea1:11), but until then they each have roles of their own to fulfill (Ezekiel 37, Isaiah 11:13, Jeremiah 3:18). The majority of the Ten Tribes were destined to be situated at the continental extremities of the earth such as North America, the British Isles (Isaiah 41:1-9), Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa (Deuteronomy 33:13, Isaiah 24:16, 26:15, 41:8-9, 49:1-26). They were to be very numerous, (Gen. 16:10, 22:17, Hosea 1:10), to be the richest (Genesis 27:28, 49:25, Deuteronomy 33:13-16, Hosea 2:8), and most powerful nations on earth (Numbers 24:8-7, Micah 5:7-9). They were to control the major international strategic bases and thoroughfares of the world (Genesis 22:16-17, 24:60).
This is confirmed by Secular Studies showing that the Ten Tribes moved westward along the following routes:
1. Movement by Sea
Most of the Israelites were exiled to the north. A portion however were transported overseas in Phoenician and Philistine ships working for the Assyrians (Amos 1:6-10).
Hebrews transported by ship were taken to Spain, Gaul, and Britain. Those taken to Spain later moved northward into Gaul or crossed over to Britain and Ireland.
2. Movement by Land Northward
Ca.740-720 BCE: The Assyrians moved masses of Northern Israelites (and other Syrians and Phoenicians) to Northern Mesopotamia and to Hara in eastern Iran. They became identified with the Cimmerians, Scyths, and Goths.
These peoples mainly moved to the west including the Isles of Britain and Ireland.
A portion however remained in the east becoming the Khazars a portion of whom converted to Judaism.
All of these points together with numerous others show that descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes can only be found amongst Western nations of the Occidental World, especially among the English-speaking ones.
The correctness of the interpretation of the relevant verses is confirmed by traditional Jewish sources and by the findings of up-to-date, Biblical, historical and scientific research.