The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refer to the ten tribes that, under Joshua’s leadership, conquered Canaan, the Promised Land, after Moses’ death. These tribes were Asher, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, Issachar, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun, all descendants of Jacob.
In contrast, the House of Judah consisted of Judah, Benjamin, and parts of other tribes like Levi and Simeon (2 Chronicles 15:9). In 930 BC, the ten tribes formed the Kingdom of Israel in the north, while Judah and Benjamin established the Kingdom of Judah in the south.
After the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom in 721 BC, the ten tribes were exiled and eventually assimilated into other nations, losing their distinct identity. Despite this, God still referred to them as His people, calling them “lost sheep” (Jeremiah 50:6).
The Messiah, prophesied throughout the Old Testament, was destined to gather these “lost sheep” (Ezekiel 34:23-24; Micah 5:4-5). When Jesus presented Himself as a shepherd to Israel, He fulfilled this Messianic prophecy (Matthew 15:24, Mark 6:34, 14:27; John 10:11-16).
