Excluding Judah and Benjamin, the Northern Kingdom consisted of the tribes of Asher, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, Issachar, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun. With its capital in Samaria, the Northern Kingdom lasted about 210 years until it was destroyed by a force from the region of the upper Tigris River, the Assyrians.

The Assyrians were masters of war. The most important part of their regime was their military. Their troops were the first to be armed with iron weapons and employed advanced military tactics in wars. The loyalty of the soldiers was ensured by generously diving the spoils of their conquests. As a result, they became the most powerful state and most extensive empire in the world at the timeWhen the King of Israel, Hoshea, revolted, the King of the Assyrian Empire, Shalmaneser V, laid siege to Samaria. Three years later, in 721, Sargon II, who succeeded Shalmaneser V, completed the Assyrian subjugation of the Northern Kingdom. He removed 27,290 inhabitants from the conquered land and settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. It was typical of the Assyrians to carry out large-scale deportation of the captives to different corners of the Empire, hoping to break their unity, destroy their national identity, and stop any potential revolt.

There is no record as to how long the Israelites stayed in Assyria. However, it is generally accepted that a portion of them adopted the culture of their captors; through intermarriage, they eventually lost their own identity. One of the books of the Apocrypha recorded that one particular group of captives recognised their captivity was due to their own wickedness and sought the Lord for forgiveness. The Lord heeded their voice and led them away into the north countries where they might be free from negative influences; at that time, many of the countries of the south, such as Egypt, had all had flourishing pagan civilisations. From this point forward, the ten northern tribes abruptly disappeared from the stage of recorded history.