Ten Lost Tribes

Lost Ten Tribes , also referenced as the Ten Lost Tribes or the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel , usually refers to ten of the tribes of the ancient Kingdom of Israel that disappear from the biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria . This is a subject that is partially based upon authenticated and documented historical fact; partially upon written religious tradition and partially upon extreme speculation. There is no specific source that can be relied upon for a complete answer.

The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and disappeared from the Biblical account after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BCE by ancient Assyria . Many groups have traditions concerning the continued hidden existence or future public return of these tribes. This is a subject based upon written religious tradition and partially upon speculation. There is a vast amount of literature on the Lost Tribes and no specific source can be relied upon for a complete answer. Lost Tribes of Israel program on NOVA , Original broadcast date: 02/22/2000

Tribes of Israel that said to have been deported from the Kingdom of Israel after its Neo-Assyrian conquest The ten lost tribes were the ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel that were said to have been deported from the Kingdom of Israel after its conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire circa 722 BCE. These are the tribes of Reuben , Simeon , Dan , Naphtali , Gad , Asher , Issachar , Zebulun , Manasseh , and Ephraim . Claims of descent from the "lost" tribes have been proposed in relation to many groups, and some religions espouse a messianic view that the tribes will return. In the 7th and 8th centuries CE, the return of the lost tribes was associated with the concept of the coming of the messiah . The Jewish historian Josephus (37–100 CE) wrote that "the ten tribes are beyond the Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude and not to be estimated in numbers". Zvi Ben-Dor Benite, a professor of Middle Eastern history, states: "The fascination with the tribes has generated, alongside ostensibly nonfictional scholarly studies, a massive body of fictional literature and folktale." Anthropologist Shalva Weil has documented various differing tribes and peoples claiming affiliation to the Lost Tribes throughout the world. The Antiquities of the Jews , Book 11 chapter 1 and II Esdras 13:39–45 Weil, Shalva (2015). In Patai, Raphael; Bar -Itzhak, Haya (eds.). Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions .

Tribes exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after its Neo-Assyrian conquest For other uses, see Lost tribe . Map of the twelve tribes of Israel according to the Book of Joshua The Ten Lost Tribes were the ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel that were said to have been exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after its conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire c. 722 BCE. These are the tribes of Reuben , Simeon , Dan , Naphtali , Gad , Asher , Issachar , Zebulun , Manasseh , and Ephraim ; all but Judah and Benjamin (as well as some members of Levi , the priestly tribe, which did not have its own territory). However, since the tribe of Simeon lived well within the territory of Judah, it is not clear why this tribe was never included in this list (or as a part of the northern kingdom of the 10 tribes). Also, the tribes of Asher and Reuben were never mentioned as participating in anything after the conquest, living in either Phoenician (Asher) or Moabite (Reuben) controlled territory. By the middle 9th century BCE the territory of Gad was also (re)taken by the Moabites (see Mesha Stele), so the Assyrians could at most have removed the other six tribes. Thus, the "10 tribes" appears to be a misnomer, meaning all of the Israelites that were living outside the Kingdom of Judah. The Jewish historian Josephus (37–100 CE ) 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". In the 7th and 8th centuries CE, the return of the lost tribes was associated with the concept of the coming of the messiah . Claims of descent from the "lost tribes" have been proposed in relation to many groups, and some religions espouse a messianic view that the tribes will return. According to contemporary research, the Transjordan and the Galilee did witness large-scale deportations, and entire tribes were lost. Historians have generally concluded that the deported tribes assimilated into the local population. In Samaria , on the other hand, many Israelites survived the Assyrian onslaught and remained in the land, eventually forming the Samaritan community. However, this has not stopped various religions from asserting that some survived as distinct entities. Zvi Ben-Dor Benite, a professor of Middle Eastern history, states: "The fascination with the tribes has generated, alongside ostensibly nonfictional scholarly studies, a massive body of fictional literature and folktale." Anthropologist Shalva Weil has documented various differing tribes and peoples claiming affiliation to the Lost Tribes throughout the world. The Ten Lost Tribes: A World History . In Patai, Raphael; Bar -Itzhak, Haya (eds.). Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions . What one finds in the Samarian hills is not the wholesale replacement of one local population by a foreign population, but rather the diminution of the local population. Widespread abandonment does not occur as in parts of Galilee and Gilead, but significant depopulation does occur. Among the causes of such a decline one may list death by war, disease, and starvation; forced deportations to other lands; and migrations to other areas, including south to Judah. [...] This brings us back to the question with which we began: What happened to the "ten lost tribes?" A significant portion of the "ten lost tribes" was never lost. In the region of Samaria, most of the indigenous Israelite population—those who survived the Assyrian onslaughts—remained in the land. : CS1 maint: date and year ( link ) Weil, S. 1991 Beyond the Sambatyon: the Myth of the Ten Lost Tribes .

Israelites exiled from ancient Israel by the Assyrians For other uses, see Lost tribe . Map of the twelve tribes of Israel according to the Book of Joshua The Ten Lost Tribes were those from the Twelve Tribes of Israel that were said to have been exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after it was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire around 720 BCE. They were the following: Reuben , Simeon , Dan , Naphtali , Gad , Asher , Issachar , Zebulun , Manasseh , and Ephraim – all but Judah and Benjamin , both of which were based in the neighbouring Kingdom of Judah , and therefore survived until the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. Alongside Judah and Benjamin was part of the Tribe of Levi , which was not allowed land tenure, but received dedicated cities . The exile of Israel's population, known as the Assyrian captivity , was an instance of the long-standing resettlement policy of the Neo-Assyrian Empire implemented in many subjugated territories. The 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." In the 7th and 8th centuries CE, the return of the Ten Lost Tribes was associated with the concept of the coming of the Hebrew Messiah . Claims of descent from the "lost tribes" have been proposed in relation to many groups, and some Abrahamic religions espouse a messianic view that Israel's tribes will return. According to contemporary research, Transjordan and Galilee did witness large-scale deportations, and entire tribes were lost. Historians have generally concluded that the deported tribes assimilated into their new local populations. In Samaria , on the other hand, many Israelites survived the Assyrian onslaught and remained in the land, eventually coming to be known as the Samaritan people . However, this has not stopped various religions from asserting that some survived as distinct entities. Zvi Ben-Dor Benite, a professor of Middle Eastern history at New York University , states: "The fascination with the tribes has generated, alongside ostensibly nonfictional scholarly studies, a massive body of fictional literature and folktale." Anthropologist Shalva Weil has documented various differing tribes and peoples claiming affiliation to the Ten Lost Tribes throughout the world. The Ten Lost Tribes: A World History . In Patai, Raphael; Bar -Itzhak, Haya (eds.). Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions . What one finds in the Samarian hills is not the wholesale replacement of one local population by a foreign population, but rather the diminution of the local population. Widespread abandonment does not occur as in parts of Galilee and Gilead, but significant depopulation does occur. Among the causes of such a decline one may list death by war, disease, and starvation; forced deportations to other lands; and migrations to other areas, including south to Judah. [...] This brings us back to the question with which we began: What happened to the 'ten lost tribes'? A significant portion of the 'ten lost tribes' was never lost. In the region of Samaria, most of the indigenous Israelite population—those who survived the Assyrian onslaughts—remained in the land.