No, the ten northern tribes were not permanently lost — after the Assyrian captivity a great number migrated into the southern kingdom, so all twelve tribes were later represented in the Babylonian captivity and in Israel's future restoration.
Les Feldick teaches that while the Assyrians carried the northern ten tribes into captivity circa 740‑750 B.C., many of those people moved south into Judah and Benjamin. Therefore the tribes were not untraceably lost, and God never lost track of them. When Babylon later took Judah captive, it actually involved remnants of all twelve tribes, and the whole house of Israel is promised a national restoration.
2 Kings 17:23 — This verse directly records that the Lord removed Israel out of His sight and carried them away to Assyria, which is the event this question asks about.
2 Chronicles 13 — Les points to this chapter to show that the northern and southern portions of the nation were still in place during Abijah's reign, indicating tribal identity was not lost.
The Bible records that the northern ten tribes — collectively called Israel — were removed from God's sight and carried away by the Assyrians. 2 Kings 17:23 states: "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 Bible also indicates that only the tribe of Judah was left in the land at that time (2 Kings 17:18). However, the Bible does not teach that these ten tribes were permanently lost or that they never returned tribally. During the period described in 2 Chronicles 13, King Abijah of Judah and Benjamin faced Jeroboam, the first king of the northern ten tribes, showing that the northern and southern divisions of the nation were still recognized. The later Babylonian captivity is associated with Judah, but Les notes that because many northern Israelites had already moved south, the Babylonian captivity involved more than just the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The prophets also speak of the whole house of Israel being restored. God knows who belongs to every tribe, and the vision of the valley of dry bones depicts the entire nation being brought back to life nationally after a long dispersion — not merely the two southern tribes (see Ezekiel 37).
Les Feldick rejects the idea of the "Lost Ten Tribes" as unscriptural. He concedes that over time the Assyrians carried the northern ten tribes into captivity, and they never came back as distinct, recognizable tribes — which is why some people call them "lost tribes." But he emphasizes that a great number of those northern Israelites had already migrated into the southern part of the kingdom. Thus they were not untraceably lost, and God has not lost track of them. Les connects this to the later Babylonian captivity. Because so many from the northern tribes had moved south, the Babylonian captivity involved all twelve tribes — it was not merely Judah and Benjamin. He also connects it to the future restoration of the nation: when Israel returns from dispersion, every tribe will be represented, not just a remnant of two tribes. The whole house of Israel will be brought back to life nationally, exactly as pictured in Ezekiel's valley of dry bones.
When Rehoboam refused to lower taxes, the ten northern tribes seceded and made Jeroboam their king. Rehoboam — Solomon's son — remained king over the two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, in Jerusalem where the temple was. From that point the ten northern tribes are normally called Israel or the northern kingdom, while the south is called Judah.
God permitted the Assyrians to come down and take the northern kingdom captive. Les places this around 740–750 B.C. He reads from 2 Kings 17, noting that Israel had set up a separate government and religious system in Samaria, and that the Lord was angry with Israel and removed them out of His sight. He notes that because they had been going down spiritually for hundreds of years, God had to act.
Les says the ten tribes of the northern kingdom went into captivity into Syria (a reference to Assyria) about 775 B.C. (in one clip; in another he says about 740–750 B.C.) and they never really came back as tribes — that's why some people call them the lost tribes. But he immediately adds that they were out there in a dispersion already, and he rejects the idea that they are truly lost or that they will be missing from the nation's future.
Les stresses that the later Babylonian captivity would not involve only Judah and Benjamin. Because a great number from the northern tribes had moved south, all twelve tribes were taken captive by Babylon. He also points out that the return from Babylonian captivity brought back only a few thousand after 70 years, but the tribes were still represented.
Les teaches that when Israel returns and is regathered, it will not be minus the ten lost tribes. Every tribe will be represented in their return because God knows who belongs to each tribe. The whole house of Israel — which was nationally dead in dispersion, like bones in a grave — will be brought back to life nationally and will fill up the land.
God Permitted the Assyrians to Take the Northern Kingdom Captive
Les sets the stage by saying God permitted the Assyrians to come down and take the northern kingdom captive, and he flags the false teaching about the lost tribes that he will address.
The Division into North and South
Les explains that the ten northern tribes seceded after Rehoboam refused to lower taxes, forming the northern kingdom under Jeroboam, while Judah and Benjamin remained under Rehoboam in Jerusalem.
Israel Taken Out of the Land More Than Once
Les shows a pattern: God took the ten northern tribes into Assyria, and later the two southern tribes to Babylon for 70 years; they returned and rebuilt, and God is now regathering them from the four corners of the earth.
The Fall of the Northern Tribes Around 740–750 B.C.
Les places the fall of the northern tribes about 740–750 B.C. and reads from 2 Kings 17:7 to show the spiritual decline that led God to permit the Assyrian captivity.
The Whole House of Israel Will Return
Les explicitly rejects the idea of the ten lost tribes being absent from Israel's future, teaching that every tribe will be represented in the return and that the dry bones vision is about the whole house of Israel being restored nationally.
The Northern Tribes Went Into Dispersion and Never Came Back as Tribes
Les explains the term 'lost tribes' as meaning the northern tribes never really came back as tribes — but he also notes they were out there in a dispersion, and links this to the later Babylonian captivity of the southern two tribes.
Israel Carried Away to Assyria
Les quotes 2 Kings 17:18–23 to show that the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, resulting in Israel being carried away to Assyria — while no tribe but Judah was left in the land.
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.
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.
This is the explicit biblical record of the northern tribes being removed from the land and carried into Assyria.
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.
This verse states that after the Assyrian captivity, only the tribe of Judah was left in the land.
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.
Les quotes this to show that God rejected all the seed of Israel and delivered them to spoilers, setting up the Assyrian removal.
2 Kings 17:21: For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
This verse marks the original division when the ten tribes made Jeroboam king, which is the background to the northern kingdom's existence.
2 Kings 17:22: For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
Les quotes this to show that the northern tribes continued in Jeroboam's sins, leading to their removal.
2 Kings 17:7: For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
This verse explains the spiritual reason why God allowed the Assyrian captivity to happen.
Les Feldick says no, not in the sense of being untraceable or permanently lost. Although they were carried away by Assyria and never came back as distinct tribal units, a great number had already migrated south into Judah and Benjamin, and God has always known exactly who belongs to each tribe.
No. Les teaches that because many from the northern ten tribes had moved south, the Babylonian captivity involved all twelve tribes — not just the two southern tribes.
No. Les teaches that in Israel's future restoration, every tribe will be represented. The vision of the dry bones in Ezekiel shows the whole house of Israel being brought back to life nationally.
Watch the Teaching: The Lost Ten Tribes of Israel — What the Bible Really Says