Jacob having twelve sons, who were the heads of so many great
families, which altogether formed a great nation; every one of these
families was called a tribe. But Jacob on his death bed adopted Ephraim
and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and would have them also to constitute
two tribes of Israel, Gen. xlviii, 5. Instead of twelve tribes, there
were now thirteen, that of Joseph being divided into two. However, in
the distribution of lands to each which Joshua made by the order of God,
they counted but twelve tribes, and made but twelve lots. For the tribe
of Levi, which was appointed to the service of the tabernacle of the
Lord, had no share in the distribution of the land, but only some cities
in which to dwell, and the first fruits, tithes, and oblations of the
people, which was all their subsistence. The twelve tribes continued
united under one head, making but one state, one people, and one
monarchy, till after the death of Solomon. Then ten of the tribes of
Israel revolted from the house of David, and received for their king
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat; and only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin
continued under the government of Rehoboam. This separation may be
looked upon as the chief cause of those great misfortunes that afterward
happened to those two kingdoms, and to the whole Hebrew nation. For,
first, it was the cause of the alteration and change of the old
religion, and of the ancient worship of their forefathers. Jeroboam the
son of Nebat substituted the worship of golden calves for the worship of
the true God; which was the occasion of the ten tribes forsaking the
temple of the Lord. Secondly, this schism caused an irreconcilable
hatred between the ten tribes, and those of Judah and Benjamin, and
created numerous wars and disputes between them. The Lord, being
provoked, delivered them up to their enemies. Tiglath-Pileser first took
away captive the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Naphtali, and the half tribe of
Manasseh, which were beyond Jordan, and carried them beyond the
Euphrates, 2 Kings xv, 29; 1 Chron. v, 26; A. M. 3264. Some years after,
Shalmaneser king of Assyria took the city of Samaria, destroyed it, took
away the rest of the inhabitants of Israel, carried them beyond the
Euphrates, and sent other inhabitants into the country to cultivate and
possess it, 2 Kings xvii, 6; xviii, 10, 11. Thus ended the kingdom of
the ten tribes of Israel, A. M. 3283. As to the tribes of Judah and
Benjamin, who remained under the government of the kings of the family
of David, they continued a much longer time in their own country. But at
last, after they had filled up the measure of their iniquity, God
delivered them all into the hands of their enemies. Nebuchadnezzar took
the city of Jerusalem, entirely ruined it, and took away all the
inhabitants of Judah and Benjamin to Babylon, and the other provinces of
his empire, A. M. 3416. The return from this captivity is stated in the
books of Ezra and Nehemiah. See JEWS.
families, which altogether formed a great nation; every one of these
families was called a tribe. But Jacob on his death bed adopted Ephraim
and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and would have them also to constitute
two tribes of Israel, Gen. xlviii, 5. Instead of twelve tribes, there
were now thirteen, that of Joseph being divided into two. However, in
the distribution of lands to each which Joshua made by the order of God,
they counted but twelve tribes, and made but twelve lots. For the tribe
of Levi, which was appointed to the service of the tabernacle of the
Lord, had no share in the distribution of the land, but only some cities
in which to dwell, and the first fruits, tithes, and oblations of the
people, which was all their subsistence. The twelve tribes continued
united under one head, making but one state, one people, and one
monarchy, till after the death of Solomon. Then ten of the tribes of
Israel revolted from the house of David, and received for their king
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat; and only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin
continued under the government of Rehoboam. This separation may be
looked upon as the chief cause of those great misfortunes that afterward
happened to those two kingdoms, and to the whole Hebrew nation. For,
first, it was the cause of the alteration and change of the old
religion, and of the ancient worship of their forefathers. Jeroboam the
son of Nebat substituted the worship of golden calves for the worship of
the true God; which was the occasion of the ten tribes forsaking the
temple of the Lord. Secondly, this schism caused an irreconcilable
hatred between the ten tribes, and those of Judah and Benjamin, and
created numerous wars and disputes between them. The Lord, being
provoked, delivered them up to their enemies. Tiglath-Pileser first took
away captive the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Naphtali, and the half tribe of
Manasseh, which were beyond Jordan, and carried them beyond the
Euphrates, 2 Kings xv, 29; 1 Chron. v, 26; A. M. 3264. Some years after,
Shalmaneser king of Assyria took the city of Samaria, destroyed it, took
away the rest of the inhabitants of Israel, carried them beyond the
Euphrates, and sent other inhabitants into the country to cultivate and
possess it, 2 Kings xvii, 6; xviii, 10, 11. Thus ended the kingdom of
the ten tribes of Israel, A. M. 3283. As to the tribes of Judah and
Benjamin, who remained under the government of the kings of the family
of David, they continued a much longer time in their own country. But at
last, after they had filled up the measure of their iniquity, God
delivered them all into the hands of their enemies. Nebuchadnezzar took
the city of Jerusalem, entirely ruined it, and took away all the
inhabitants of Judah and Benjamin to Babylon, and the other provinces of
his empire, A. M. 3416. The return from this captivity is stated in the
books of Ezra and Nehemiah. See JEWS.