In the year of the world 3264, Tiglath-pileser
took several cities, and carried away captives, principally from the
tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 2 Kings xv, 29.
In the year of the world 3283, Shalmaneser took and destroyed Samaria,
after a siege of three years, and transplanted the tribes that had been
spared by Tiglath-pileser, to provinces beyond the Euphrates, 2 Kings
xviii, 10, 11. It is generally believed, there was no return of the ten
tribes from this second captivity. But when we examine carefully the
writings of the Prophets, we find a return of at least a great part of
Israel from the captivity clearly pointed out. Hosea says, “They shall
tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of
Assyria; and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord,” Hosea
xi, 11. Amos says, “And I will bring again my people Israel from their
captivity: they shall build their ruined cities and inhabit them,” &c,
Amos ix, 14. Obadiah observes, “The captivity of this host of the
children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites,” &c, Obadiah
18, 19. To the same purpose speak the other Prophets. “The Lord shall
assemble the outcast of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of
Judah,” Isa. xi, 12, 13. Ezekiel received an order from God to take two
pieces of wood, and write on one, “For Judah and for the children of
Israel;” and on the other, “For Joseph and for all the house of Israel;”
and to join these two pieces of wood, that they might become one, and
designate the reunion of Judah and Israel, Ezek. xxxvii, 16. Jeremiah is
equally express: “The house of Judah shall walk with the house of
Israel; and they shall come together out of the north, to the land which
I have given for an inheritance to their fathers,” Jer. iii, 18. See
also Jer. xxxi, 7–9, 16, 17, 20; xvi, 15; xlix, 2, &c; Zech. ix, 13; x,
6, 10; Micah ii, 12. In the historical books of Scripture, we find that
Israelites of the ten tribes, as well as of Judah and Benjamin, returned
from the captivity. Among those that returned with Zerubbabel are
reckoned some of Ephraim and Manasseh, who settled at Jerusalem with the
tribe of Judah. When Ezra numbered those who returned from the
captivity, he only inquired whether they were of the race of Israel; and
at the first passover which was then celebrated in the temple, was a
sacrifice of twelve he-goats for the whole house of Israel, according to
the number of the tribes, Ezra vi, 16, 17; viii, 35. Under the
Maccabees, and in our Saviour’s time, we see Palestine peopled by
Israelites of all the tribes indifferently. The Samaritan Chronicle
asserts that in the thirty-fifth year of the pontificate of Abdelus,
three thousand Israelites, by permission of King Sauredius, returned
from captivity, under the conduct of Adus, son of Simon.
took several cities, and carried away captives, principally from the
tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 2 Kings xv, 29.
In the year of the world 3283, Shalmaneser took and destroyed Samaria,
after a siege of three years, and transplanted the tribes that had been
spared by Tiglath-pileser, to provinces beyond the Euphrates, 2 Kings
xviii, 10, 11. It is generally believed, there was no return of the ten
tribes from this second captivity. But when we examine carefully the
writings of the Prophets, we find a return of at least a great part of
Israel from the captivity clearly pointed out. Hosea says, “They shall
tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of
Assyria; and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord,” Hosea
xi, 11. Amos says, “And I will bring again my people Israel from their
captivity: they shall build their ruined cities and inhabit them,” &c,
Amos ix, 14. Obadiah observes, “The captivity of this host of the
children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites,” &c, Obadiah
18, 19. To the same purpose speak the other Prophets. “The Lord shall
assemble the outcast of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of
Judah,” Isa. xi, 12, 13. Ezekiel received an order from God to take two
pieces of wood, and write on one, “For Judah and for the children of
Israel;” and on the other, “For Joseph and for all the house of Israel;”
and to join these two pieces of wood, that they might become one, and
designate the reunion of Judah and Israel, Ezek. xxxvii, 16. Jeremiah is
equally express: “The house of Judah shall walk with the house of
Israel; and they shall come together out of the north, to the land which
I have given for an inheritance to their fathers,” Jer. iii, 18. See
also Jer. xxxi, 7–9, 16, 17, 20; xvi, 15; xlix, 2, &c; Zech. ix, 13; x,
6, 10; Micah ii, 12. In the historical books of Scripture, we find that
Israelites of the ten tribes, as well as of Judah and Benjamin, returned
from the captivity. Among those that returned with Zerubbabel are
reckoned some of Ephraim and Manasseh, who settled at Jerusalem with the
tribe of Judah. When Ezra numbered those who returned from the
captivity, he only inquired whether they were of the race of Israel; and
at the first passover which was then celebrated in the temple, was a
sacrifice of twelve he-goats for the whole house of Israel, according to
the number of the tribes, Ezra vi, 16, 17; viii, 35. Under the
Maccabees, and in our Saviour’s time, we see Palestine peopled by
Israelites of all the tribes indifferently. The Samaritan Chronicle
asserts that in the thirty-fifth year of the pontificate of Abdelus,
three thousand Israelites, by permission of King Sauredius, returned
from captivity, under the conduct of Adus, son of Simon.