Did you know the Babylonian Exile is part of a much larger story - the story of the House of Israel, made up of all 12 tribes brought into covenant with Yahweh at Mount Sinai? From the beginning, Yahweh warned His people that if they turned away from Him and followed the gods of other nations, they would be removed from their land and scattered across the world (Deuteronomy 28). This scattering would happen because of spiritual adultery, a pattern of unfaithfulness that lasts to this day.
The Northern Kingdom
The first to fall were the northern tribes. This kingdom was made up of Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Long before the kingdom split, idolatry had already taken root in Israel, especially in the days of King Solomon when he married foreign wives and built high places for their gods.
Because of this unfaithfulness, Yahweh declared that the kingdom would be torn apart after Solomon’s death. Once the northern tribes formed their own kingdom under Jeroboam, they continued down an even deeper path of idolatry. Prophets like Hosea compared them to an unfaithful wife who chased other lovers. Even though God sent many warnings, the Israelites refused to repent. In 722 BCE, the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom and carried these tribes away. Most never returned and became known as the lost tribes of Israel.
The Fall of Judah and Benjamin
The southern kingdom, made up of Judah and Benjamin, witnessed the fall of their northern brothers but did not learn from their example. Although Jerusalem was the location of the Temple and the center of worship, idolatry also took root in Judah. Kings like Manasseh introduced practices that greatly angered Yahweh, and the people often followed the same destructive paths. Even with faithful leaders, the Israelites continued to break the covenant.
Prophets warned that if Judah and Benjamin did not turn back to Yahweh, they would face the same judgment as the northern tribes. Their warnings proved true. Between 605 and 586 BCE, Babylon invaded the land, destroyed Jerusalem, burned the Temple, and carried the Hebrews into exile. Daniel, taken as a young man to Babylon, remained loyal to Yahweh and later survived the lions' den. Children can explore his story through our Daniel and the Lions' Den Activity Book. Later, in the Persian Empire, Esther and her cousin Mordecai from the tribe of Benjamin showed great courage to protect their people. The Story of Esther Activity Book helps children learn how Yahweh used her courage and obedience to save His people from destruction.
The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel
This history helps explain why Yeshua later said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). His mission reached far beyond the land of Judea. He came to call back the scattered tribes, both those still living in the land and those dispersed among the nations. However, there is Good News! The prophets promised that Yahweh would one day gather His people from every nation, reunite the House of Judah and the House of Israel, and make them one people again (Ezekiel 37:15-28).
