The Tenach records that the united kingdom of Israel under David and Shlomo came to an end when Rehoboam, Shlomo’s son, listened to his young advisers to impose a heavier burden on the Northern Israelite tribes (see 1 Melekim 12). As a result, the nation became divided into the Northern Kingdom known as Israel and the Southern Kingdom known as Yehuda. Later we see Yeroboam becoming king of the Northern Kingdom called Israel.
Were other tribes attached to the Southern Kingdom of Yehuda? 1 Melekim records that Benyamin, Shimon, and some of Levi stayed with the Kingdom of Yehuda. Were all Kings from the Southern Kingdom from the tribe of Yehuda? And how then did the name Yehuda evolve into its derivative, “Jew,” and how did it make its way from being the name of one of the tribes of Israel to being identified with the all Jewish People?
Collectively all these tribes were referred to as Jews in 2 Melekim 16. So were Benyamin, Shimon, and some of Levi referred to as Jews because the King of the Southern Kingdom was from Yehuda?
What about the Northern Ten Tribes? What was the tribal affiliation of Yeroboam their king? Since he was from Efrayim could then all those tribes have a national name Eframite? Could this observation make a difference in how we understand the Tenach, particularly the writings of the Nevaiim? Can we take a look at one of those books to give us a greater understanding? Let’s look at the book of Hoshea.
The first chapter of the book of Hoshea can give us a great deal of clarity. Hoshea was asked by HaShem to marry a harlot named Gomer. They had children together and HaShem gave direction as to the names of each of the children. Let’s focus on one particular child. Gomer had a son and HaShem directed that son to be called Lo-Ammi because you will no longer be my people. Another question: Have the Jewish people ever been “not a people”? So who were these people that got stripped of their national identity? Were these the 10 Israelite tribes also known as Efryaim? Would there be a day that they would become known again? Hoshea 1: 10-11 says this, Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which can’t be measured or counted; and it will come to pass that, in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ The children of Yehuda and the children of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint themselves one head, and will go up from the land; for great will be the day of Yezreel. Did you notice the 2 people groups Yehuda and Israel? So out of the ash heap of history a people will arise again to rejoin their brothers of the Southern Kingdom of Yehuda? And the numbers will be so vast you can’t count them!? Since Jews can be counted (There are approximately 14 million Jews in the world.) who are these? So they became doubly fruitful as the national name Efrayim implies and became a vast array of people all around the world? So the whole book of Hoshea deals with this subject? And the use of the term Efrayim refers to the national identity name of the 10 tribes from the Northern Kingdom of Israel? And by keeping this in the forefront of my mind throughout the book of Hoshea I will gain understanding as to what HaShem is doing today?
A Drash for Illustration
Jethro Cole from North Carolina has quite a large family. The family got dispersed throughout the years and some settled in the Charlotte suburbs while others settled in the Western North Carolina mountains. Jethro lived kind of in between these 2 areas, and received an education at the University of North Carolina. He was an engineer. For the longest time he was distant from his family in Western North Carolina and acted like the suburbanite side of the family and sided with them. They would deny that those Western hillbillies were even family. They were embarrassed to be around them. They looked at them as rude, rough around the edges, and unrefined. Then one day Jethro had an epiphany. He got a call from one of his cousins in Western North Carolina. It was a great conversation! Jethro realized no matter how backward his relatives in Western North Carolina are that all of them are Cole’s and he loves them as family. He loved and embraced all his family! He even loved the uppity suburbanite members to the poorest of kin in Western North Carolina. Jethro embraced all of the diversity of his family! No matter what, they all are Cole’s!
The 10 Tribes of Israel are coming into their identity. The signs of their return are there. They are embracing Shabbat, eating clean, and observing the moedim. They are doing it at a heavy price against those who disagree vehemently with them. Some are more refined than others. Most are seen as backward hillbillies. But, one of the hallmarks of their return is a deep love for their Southern cousins. When the magnitude of this is fully realized by the Southern family it could be overwhelming. Deep is calling to deep. We need to take a step back and take a deep breath and hear HaShem say, “This is my doing. I got this!”
But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Shlomo, king of Yehuda, and to all the house of Yehuda and Benyamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,‘HaShem says, “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is from me.”’” So they listened to HaShem’s word, and returned and went their way, according to HaShem’s word. 1 Kings 12:22-24