Thematic Bible: Of the ten tribes


Thematic Bible



In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. After three years it was taken; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, read more.
Because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear it or do it.

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried [the people of] Israel into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and in Habor, by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

Until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, as He had foretold by all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria to this day. The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the Israelites. They possessed Samaria and dwelt in its cities.


Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it -- "for he still dwelt in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon -- "[he] returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, read more.
Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore lighten the hard service and the heavy yoke your father put upon us, and we will serve you. He replied, Go away for three days and then return to me. So the people departed. And King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived and said, How do you advise me to answer this people? And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them and answer them with good words, they will be your servants forever. But he forsook the counsel the old men gave him and consulted the young men who grew up with him and stood before him. He said to them, What do you advise that we answer this people who have said, Make the yoke your father put on us lighter? The young men who grew up with him answered, To the people who told you, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us -- "say this, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. And now whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had appointed. And the king answered the people roughly and forsook the counsel the old men had given him, And spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; he chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king did not hearken to the people, for the situation was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word which He spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. So when all Israel saw that the king did not heed them, they answered the king, What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David! So Israel went to their tents. But Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who dwelt in the cities of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute [taskmaster over the forced labor], and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. So King Rehoboam hastened to get into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has rebelled against the house of David to this day. When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah only. And when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam son of Solomon. But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the house of Judah and Benjamin and the remnant of the people, Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your brethren, the Israelites. Return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me. So they hearkened to the Lord's word and returned home, according to the Lord's word.