EP319 What Happened to the Twelve Tribes of Israel?

📖 About This Episode: What happened to the twelve tribes of Israel? Did the ten northern tribes really disappear—or is their story more complicated than the familiar phrase “the ten lost tribes” suggests? In Luke’s Gospel, Anna is identified as a woman from the tribe of Asher. Yet centuries after the Assyrian conquest, she is worshiping at the temple in Jerusalem when Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus. How did a descendant of one of the supposedly lost tribes end up there? In this study, we follow Israel’s story through the divided kingdom, the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, and the return to Jerusalem. We examine the Israelites who were deported, those who remained, and those who had already moved into Judah. Along the way, we explore the origins of the Samaritans, the historical background of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4, and Josephus’s surprising statement about the ten tribes beyond the Euphrates. The evidence does not give us a complete map of every tribe’s descendants. But it does help us distinguish the disappearance of a kingdom from the disappearance of its people—and brings us back to Anna, a daughter of Asher who recognizes the arrival of Israel’s Messiah. 🔗 Resources Mentioned in This Episode: John 4 verse-by-verse LIVE Bible study: https://www.youtube.com/live/C8zUa1sOYKI?si=c3JSjgSOFHs70L6j John 4 Bible study handout download: https://www.thatyoumayknowhim.com/post/john-4-bible-study-questions-and-answers ▶️ Subscribe to the Ministry Channel Never miss future Bible studies, podcasts, and monthly Bible Q&A episodes. https://www.youtube.com/@thatyoumayknowhim?sub_confirmation=1 📖 FREE 12-Month Bible Reading Plans https://www.thatyoumayknowhim.com/bible-reading-plans 📚 FREE Bible Study Resources https://www.thatyoumayknowhim.com/bible-study-resources 👕 Ministry Apparel Wear the Word. Walk in the Light. Shop our collection of premium Christian apparel: https://shop.thatyoumayknowhim.com ❤️ Support That You May Know Him Ministries Your generosity helps us continue creating free, in-depth Bible teaching that is accessible to everyone. Become a Ministry Partner: https://www.thatyoumayknowhim.com/give 🎧 Listen to the Podcast Browse every episode and series: https://www.thatyoumayknowhim.com/listen 📱 Connect With Us Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thatyoumayknowhimministries Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thatyoumayknowhim/ 💬 Have a Bible Question? Leave your Bible question in the comments below, and it may be featured in a future Bible Q&A episode. Helping people know Christ more fully by making in-depth Bible teaching accessible to everyone. 🏷️ Hashtags #BibleQA #BibleStudy #ChristianTheology #ThatYouMayKnowHim #ChristianPodcast Support the show