The northern 10 tribes were removed by God and carried away to Assyria — but, as Les Feldick teaches, they were not lost: many had already filtered into Judah, and every tribe will be restored.
Scripture plainly records that the LORD removed Israel out of His sight and carried them to Assyria, leaving only the tribe of Judah (2 Kings 17:23). Les Feldick adds that over many years the military numbers reversed — the north dropped from 800,000 troops to 580,000 while Judah grew from 400,000 to 1,160,000 — showing that northern Israelites had steadily moved south into the southern kingdom. He rejects the idea of 'ten lost tribes,' insisting God knows where every tribe is and will restore the whole house of Israel.
2 Kings 17:23 — This is the definitive verse — God removed Israel out of His sight and carried the northern kingdom away to Assyria.
2 Chronicles 13:3 — The opening troop numbers (800,000 vs. 400,000) establish the northern ten tribes' original size — a contrast Les uses to show later migration south.
After the nation divided, the northern ten tribes were far more numerous than the south. 2 Chronicles 13:3 records that when Abijah of Judah faced Jeroboam of the northern kingdom in battle, Judah could field only 400,000 chosen men while the northern tribes fielded 800,000. 2 Kings 17 closes the story of the northern kingdom. Verse 18: 'Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.' Verse 20: 'And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.' The chapter concludes at verse 23: 'Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.' The same passage explains that the division itself happened when 'he rent Israel from the house of David' and 'they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king' (2 Kings 17:21), and that 'the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam' (2 Kings 17:22).
Les Feldick explains that after Rehoboam refused to ease the people's tax burden, the ten northern tribes seceded and crowned Jeroboam, while Rehoboam remained king over Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem. From the start, Jeroboam led the northern kingdom into idolatry, and Les stresses that the ten tribes therefore 'go down the banana peel first' — about 150 years ahead of Judah's own decline (Clips 1, 5). Les then shows how the population silently shifted south. At first the north could field 800,000 soldiers to Judah's 400,000; later the north could barely raise 580,000 while Judah had grown to 1,160,000. For Les, those numbers prove that Israelites from the northern tribes had continually left the north for the southern kingdom. When the Assyrians invaded around 740–750 B.C., the northern kingdom — which had its own government and religious system in Samaria — was removed out of God's sight, leaving only the tribe of Judah (2 Kings 17; Clips 0, 2, 7). Les also repeatedly rejects the idea of 'ten lost tribes': God knows exactly where every tribe is, and every tribe will be represented when the whole house of Israel is brought back to life nationally (Clip 6). He sees the same sovereign pattern throughout Israel's history — the ten tribes to Assyria, Judah to Babylon for 70 years, and the eventual return and regathering of the nation (Clip 3).
The northern kingdom went into idolatry immediately under Jeroboam, and 2 Kings 17 says the LORD was so angry with Israel that He removed them out of His sight, leaving only the tribe of Judah. Les notes that the northern ten tribes 'go down the banana peel first' — they fell into abject idolatry 150 years before Judah followed.
Les points to the military census numbers recorded during the divided kingdom's history. At the beginning, the northern kingdom could field 800,000 troops to Judah's 400,000. Later, the numbers reversed: the north could only raise 580,000 while the south fielded 1,160,000. According to Les, the only explanation is a continual, large-scale movement of Israelites from the northern tribes into the southern kingdom.
No. Les Feldick is emphatic that there are no 'ten lost tribes.' In the dry-bones vision, he explains that every tribe is going to be represented in Israel's return — God knows who they belong to — and the whole house of Israel will be brought back to life nationally.
Les reminds us that the southern two tribes were later taken out to Babylon for 70 years, but they came back, rebuilt the temple, and the nation of Israel was on the scene for the coming of Christ the first time. After the rejection of Christ, Israel was dispersed again in 70 A.D., and God is now bringing them back from the four quarters of the world.
A Population Shift Southward
Les contrasts the northern kingdom's 800,000 soldiers with Judah's 400,000, then shows the later reversal (580,000 vs. 1,160,000) — proving that the ten tribes' population flowed south into the southern kingdom over the years.
The Nation Divides
Les recounts that after Rehoboam refused to reduce taxes, the ten northern tribes seceded and made Jeroboam their king, leaving Rehoboam over Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem.
The Fall of the Northern Kingdom
Les sets the northern kingdom's fall around 740–750 B.C., noting that by then it had its own government and religious system in Samaria, and turns to 2 Kings 17.
Assyrian Captivity and God's Sovereign Restoration
Les summarizes God's sovereign handling of Israel: the ten tribes went to Assyria, the two southern tribes went to Babylon for 70 years, and the nation is being regathered to the land today.
What Saves You? Head Knowledge vs. Heart Belief
Reuben was the eldest. He should have been here. But he was, again, an immoral person. You remember, he was the one who had a relationship with his father's wife or concubine or something. But anyway, Judah now takes the place of leadership, and of course the other reason, who comes out of the tribe of Judah? Christ does.
Idolatry First in the North
Les stresses that Jeroboam plunged the northern ten tribes into idolatry immediately, so they declined spiritually 150 years before Judah did.
No Ten Lost Tribes
Les rejects the 'ten lost tribes' idea outright — God knows each tribe, and every tribe will be present when the whole house of Israel is restored nationally.
Removed Out of God's Sight
Les reads 2 Kings 17:18–23 to show that the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, leaving only the tribe of Judah, and carried the northern kingdom away to Assyria.
2 Chronicles 13:3: And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.
Shows the northern kingdom's initial military superiority (800,000 to 400,000) just after the division.
2 Kings 17:18: Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
States that when the northern kingdom was removed, only Judah remained.
2 Kings 17:20: And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
Emphasizes the Lord's judgment on the whole northern house of Israel.
2 Kings 17:23: Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
The definitive answer — Israel was carried away into Assyria.
Yes. 2 Kings 17:23 records that 'the LORD removed Israel out of his sight... So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria.' Les Feldick places the fall around 740–750 B.C.
Les Feldick says no. He emphasizes that God knows who belongs to every tribe, and every tribe will be represented when the whole house of Israel is restored nationally — there is no such thing as ten 'lost' tribes.
Because Jeroboam immediately led the ten tribes into idolatry. Les notes they went into decline first, and Judah followed about 150 years later.
Yes, according to Les. The military numbers reversed over time — northern troops fell from 800,000 to 580,000 while Judah's rose from 400,000 to 1,160,000 — showing a steady southern migration.
Watch the Teaching: The Lost Ten Tribes of Israel — What the Bible Really Says