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The Period of Kingdoms: Israel
and Judah.
In 922 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel was divided. Judah, the
southern Kingdom, had Jerusalem as its capital and was led
by Rehoboam. It was populated by the tribes of Judah, Benjamin,
and Simeon (and some of tribe of Levi). Simeon and Judah later
merged, and Simeon lost its separate identity.
Jeroboam led the revolt of the northern tribes, and established
the Kingdom of Israel, consisting of nine tribes: Zebulun,
Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Menasseh, Ephraim, Reuben
and Gad (and some of Levi), with Samaria as its capital.
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In 721 BCE, the Assyrians, under
Shalmaneser, and then under Sargon, conquered Israel (the northern
Kingdom), destroyed its capital Samaria, and sent many of the Israelites
into exile and captivity.
The ruling class of the northern kingdom (perhaps a small portion
of the overall population) were deported to other lands in the Assyrian
empire and a new nobility was imported by the Assyrians.
This chapter will cover the four empire that Israel served. Having
a clear understanding of the captivity the prophecy will be easier
to comprehend. |
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" The YHWH shall bring a nation
against thee from far, from the end of the earth, [as swift] as
the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand."
Deut 28:49
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