The Tribes in the Divided Kingdom

[TylerRay]

It's usually said that the Northern Kingdom was made up of ten tribes, and the Southern was made up of two, Judah and Benjamin. However, the territory of Simeon was encapsulated by Judah, so they presumably were part of the Southern Kingdom; and the Levites all left their homes in the North and moved to Judah (2 Chron 11:14). That makes four, or three if you don't count Levi.

The Northern Kingdom, on the other hand, was made up of Asher, Naphtali, Zebulun, Issachar, Manasseh, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, and Ruben. That makes nine.

Why, then do we read the following in I Kings 11?

29And 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: 30And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 31And 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).

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

1 Ki.12:21, which records the fallout of the division of the nation, clearly indicates which "two" tribes are left to the house of David: Judah and Benjamin (see also 2Chr.11:1). Furthermore, you see Judah paired with Benjamin many times thereafter in 2Chr., do an e-word search and you will see it. Note e.g. 2Chr.34:9, where "Israel" is juxtaposed with "Judah and Benjamin."

Post exile, see again the references to Judah and Benjamin together, e.g. Ezra 4:1. Neh.11:36 speaks of the divisions of the Levites in the other two tribes. The assumption that the "two" tribes that are left to the house of David are Judah and Benjamin is well-founded in the OT text.

This leaves us to conclude that Ahijah was more demonstrative, than he was exact or precise in separating the rest of Israel from Judah prophetically, and leaving just "one" (as he says, v32). You can see just by that, there's not so much exactitude in view, since he left off TWO pieces of cloth not given to Jereboam, and called it "one tribe left."

Finally, consider there were the following 10 distinct territories in the north:

1. Asher
2. Naphtali
3. Manasseh (near side Jordan)
4. 1/2 tribe Manasseh/Gilead (over Jordan) N.B. Jdg.5:17; or ch.11 entire.

Ps.60:7 uses Manasseh and Gilead distinctly, along with Ephraim and Judah​

5. Zebulun
6. Issachar
7. Ephraim
8. Dan (territory mainly on the southwest)
9. Gad (over Jordan)
10. Reuben (over Jordan)​

That is ten territories. But still, I don't think the prophet meant for his words to be judged by a strict verbal precisionism, as clearly demonstrated by the limited context of his words and actions alone.

 

[TylerRay]

1 Ki.12:21, which records the fallout of the division of the nation, clearly indicates which "two" tribes are left to the house of David: Judah and Benjamin (see also 2Chr.11:1). Furthermore, you see Judah paired with Benjamin many times thereafter in 2Chr., do an e-word search and you will see it. Note e.g. 2Chr.34:9, where "Israel" is juxtaposed with "Judah and Benjamin."

Post exile, see again the references to Judah and Benjamin together, e.g. Ezra 4:1. Neh.11:36 speaks of the divisions of the Levites in the other two tribes. The assumption that the "two" tribes that are left to the house of David are Judah and Benjamin is well-founded in the OT text.

This leaves us to conclude that Ahijah was more demonstrative, than he was exact or precise in separating the rest of Israel from Judah prophetically, and leaving just "one" (as he says, v32). You can see just by that, there's not so much exactitude in view, since he left off TWO pieces of cloth not given to Jereboam, and called it "one tribe left."

Finally, consider there were the following 10 distinct territories in the north:

1. Asher
2. Naphtali
3. Manasseh (near side Jordan)
4. 1/2 tribe Manasseh/Gilead (over Jordan) N.B. Jdg.5:17; or ch.11 entire.

Ps.60:7 uses Manasseh and Gilead distinctly, along with Ephraim and Judah​

5. Zebulun
6. Issachar
7. Ephraim
8. Dan (territory mainly on the southwest)
9. Gad (over Jordan)
10. Reuben (over Jordan)​

That is ten territories. But still, I don't think the prophet meant for his words to be judged by a strict verbal precisionism, as clearly demonstrated by the limited context of his words and actions alone.

Rev. Buchanan,

Thank you. That's very helpful. I wondered about West Manasseh/ East Manasseh.

Would you say, then, that Simeon is sort of absorbed into the tribe of Judah in the reckoning?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

It is said, Jos.19:1, that Simeon's territory was within Judah, in the midst. 1Chr.6:64-65 clearly associate Judah, Benjamin, and Simeon distinct from Israel.