The Ten "Northern" Tribes?

Text: 1 Kings 11:29-37


It is commonly taught that when Israel was divided in two in Rehoboam’s reign that the ten tribes that followed Jeroboam were all northern tribes. The purpose of this study is to present an evidence to counter this assumption. Let’s begin with the prophecy regarding the schism of Israel (10 tribes) and Judah (two tribes: Judah and Benjamin) in 1 Kings 11:29-37.

29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: 30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. 34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose , because he kept my commandments and my statutes: 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. 36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. 37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth , and shalt be king over Israel.

The “one tribe” mentioned in this passage (vv. 32, 36) is not specified until 1 Kings 12:20-21. Judah and Benjamin continue as allies, despite the defection of the ten other tribes. It’s assumed that all of these tribes are north of Judah and Benjamin, but let’s see if that’s indeed the case. Levi is excluded since their cities were located throughout the entire country (Josh. 21).

1. Asher—yes
2. Naphtali—yes
3. Zebulun—yes
4. Manasseh—yes
5. Issachar—yes
6. Ephraim—yes
7. Gad—yes
8. Dan—yes
9. Reuben—actually east of Judah and Benjamin
10. Simeon—per Josh. 19:1-9, encompassed within Judean territory (fulfilling Jacob’s prophecy in Gen. 49:7)

So, in the case of Reuben and Simeon, it would be incorrect to refer to them as “northern” tribes. This is a common reference used to distinguish the two divisions of the tribes, but the Bible doesn’t use it. The ten tribes, including Reuben, are referred to as “Israel.” Reuben’s part in the kingdom of Israel (vs. Judah) is not emphasized until later:

2 Chron. 15:9—And he (Asa) gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

2 Chron. 34:5-7—And he (Josiah) burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

In 2 Kings 10-17, the ten tribes are gradually judged for their sins and deported to Assyria (2 Kings 10:32-33, etc.). This may have included Simeon, although I can’t find it explicitly stated. Consider 2 Kings 17:18, “Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only” (includes Benjamin; cf. 2 Chron. 34:22—Benjamin remains in the land until the Babylonian captivity). It’s possible that the Simeonites were carried away in the Judean captivity, since some of their cities remained in Josiah’s day (2 Chron. 34:6).

Whatever the time of Simeon’s deportation to Assyria and/or Babylon, they were considered part of the ten tribes constituting “Israel,” so the reference to it as a “northern tribe” isn’t exactly correct, though they are indeed allied with the northern tribes, as was Reuben.