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I Kings 11:30-31 explains that ten "pieces" (tribes) were taken from Solomon and given to
Jeroboam. These ten tribes made up the northern nation which was called the House of Israel. King
Solomon kept the two southern tribes which were called the House of Judah: "Then Ahijah took
hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam,
"Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says YEHOVAH, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will tear the
kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you'" (I Kings 11:30-31). YEHO-
VAH declares in I Kings 11:13 that He "will not rend away ALL the kingdom; but will give one
tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen." I
Kings 12:21 indicates that the tribe of Benjamin remained with Judah.

As soon as Jeroboam became king over the House of Israel, he set up two golden calves
and introduced idol worship into the kingdom (I Kings 12:28-33). This idolatry, along with
Sabbath-breaking (Ezekiel 20:10-24), was the great national sin which became a curse to the
House of Israel. YEHOVAH pleaded with them to turn from their ways and return to His com-
mandments -- but to no avail. Through nine different dynasties under 19 kings, Israel continued
these national sins -- sins so great in YEHOVAH's sight that finally He caused them to become a
conquered, captive nation. This occurred in the years 721-718 B.C. when the House of Israel was
conquered and its people driven out of their own land by the Assyrians. "Therefore the Eternal
was very angry with Israel, and REMOVED them out of His sight: there was none left but the tribe
of Judah only" (II Kings 17:18).

The Removal of Judah

Only the tribe of Judah (and Benjamin) was left and was spared from captivity at that time.
However, it is important to realize that later on Judah itself rebelled against YEHOVAH and dis-
carded His commandments. So then YEHOVAH rejected ALL the seed of Israel, and cast them out
of His sight. Notice II Kings 17:19 --

"Also Judah did not keep the commandments of YEHOVAH their God, but walked in the
statutes of Israel which they made. And YEHOVAH rejected all the descendants of Israel,
afflicting them, and delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them
from His sight."

The prophet Daniel understood from the writings of Jeremiah that Jerusalem was to lan-
guish for seventy years after the captivity of the House of Judah. Notice: "In the first year of his
reign [Darius] I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of
YEHOVAH, given through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the
desolations of Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:2). After these 70 years part of Judah returned to Jerusalem;
and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah record how the "Jews" once again established Jerusalem and
reestablished the covenant as commanded by Moses. Numerous passages in the Old Testament
show that the House of Judah would again be established in Palestine:

"And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root down-
ward, and bear fruit upward" (II Kings 19:31).

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