The Lost Ten Tribes: Their Deportation to the East According to the Bible

### The Lost Ten Tribes: Their Deportation to the East According to the Bible




The fate of the lost ten tribes of Israel has been a subject of speculation for centuries. Many theories attempt to trace their movements and settlements, but the Bible itself provides a clear answer regarding their initial deportation. According to the biblical record, the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and exiled its inhabitants to regions in the east. This document will explore the biblical evidence demonstrating that the ten tribes were taken to eastern lands, as recorded in the scriptures.




#### **The Assyrian Conquest and Exile**




The Bible states that the ten tribes of Israel were exiled by the Assyrians during the reign of King Hoshea (732–722 BCE), the last king of the northern kingdom. The key passage describing this event is found in **2 Kings 17:6**:




*"In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes."*




This verse provides specific locations to which the Israelites were deported:




1. **Halah** – A region in northern Mesopotamia.

2. **Habor by the River of Gozan** – This refers to the Khabur River, which flows through modern-day Syria and Iraq.

3. **The cities of the Medes** – This refers to the region of Media, in what is now northwestern Iran.




These places were all located in the east, confirming that the ten tribes were taken beyond the Euphrates River, into Assyria and the surrounding regions.




#### **Further Biblical Confirmation**




The book of **1 Chronicles 5:26** reinforces this account:




*"And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day."*




This passage indicates that some tribes, including Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, had already been taken into exile before the final conquest of Samaria. The phrase *"unto this day"* suggests that the writer of Chronicles, traditionally believed to be Ezra, was aware that these Israelites remained in those eastern locations even centuries later.




#### **Ezra and Nehemiah’s Recognition of the Exiles**




During the period of Ezra and Nehemiah, when some Israelites returned from Babylonian captivity, there is no mention of the ten tribes returning. Instead, the returnees were primarily from Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, as seen in **Ezra 1:5**:




*"Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem."*




The absence of the ten tribes in this return indicates that they remained in the lands of their Assyrian exile, reinforcing the idea that they had not migrated westward but continued to dwell in the eastern regions.




#### **The Apocryphal Evidence: 2 Esdras**




The book of **2 Esdras 13:40-45**, an apocryphal text, provides an interesting account of the ten tribes moving even further east:




*"These are the ten tribes which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land. But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, that they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land."*




This passage suggests that after being settled in the east, some groups of the ten tribes moved even further away, seeking a land where they could practice their faith freely. Although this is not a biblical book, it reflects an ancient Jewish tradition that the tribes continued to reside in remote eastern regions.

The restoration of the Lost 10 tribes

The Bible not only records the exile of the ten tribes to the east but also speaks of their future restoration. **Ezekiel 37:15-22** prophesies the reunification of the scattered northern tribes with Judah. In the vision of the two sticks, God commands Ezekiel to take two sticks—one for Judah and one for Ephraim (representing the northern tribes)—and join them together into one. **Ezekiel 37:22** states: *"And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all."* This prophecy assures that the division of Israel will be undone, and all twelve tribes will once again be united under one rule in their land.




Jesus reaffirmed this future restoration in **Matthew 19:28**, saying to His disciples: *"Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."* This statement confirms that in the coming age, the twelve tribes will be fully restored, and the apostles will have authority over them. The use of the term *regeneration* suggests a future renewal of Israel, not merely a symbolic restoration but an actual gathering of all the tribes. This aligns with the prophets' vision of a restored kingdom in which Israel is no longer scattered among the nations.




Similarly, **Luke 22:28-30** reinforces this promise when Jesus tells His disciples: *"Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."* This passage indicates that the twelve tribes will have a role in the future kingdom, and the apostles will be entrusted with governing them. The restoration of Israel is not just a past hope but a future certainty in God's plan. The Bible consistently teaches that the lost ten tribes will one day return, be reunited with Judah, and become one nation under divine rule.




#### **Conclusion**




According to the Bible, the ten tribes of Israel were deported to the east, specifically to regions in Assyria, Media, and Mesopotamia. 2 Kings 17:6 and 1 Chronicles 5:26 confirm that they were settled in Halah, Habor, the river of Gozan, and the cities of the Medes—areas corresponding to modern-day Iraq, Iran, and Syria. While their exact movements after the exile remain uncertain, the scriptures make it clear that they were not lost to history. Instead, the Bible promises their eventual restoration and reunification with Judah under one king, bringing an end to their division.

 

Though the ten tribes were scattered, their exile was never meant to be permanent. Prophecies like Ezekiel’s vision of the two sticks and Jesus’ promise to His disciples confirm that all twelve tribes will be gathered again in the future kingdom. The apostles themselves will have a role in judging and leading them when God's restoration is fulfilled. The fate of the ten tribes is not one of disappearance but of a future return, where they will once again be part of a unified and restored Israel under divine rule.west.