Assyrian Invasion
The first major exile of the Hebrews was a result of Assyrian conquest of Israel. Assyrians forced Israel to pay tribute and then conquered it in 722 B.C. when its army was weak. Upon seizing Israel's capital, the Assyrians forced the ten tribes inhabiting Israel to scatter, never to appear in history again. These came to be called the ten lost tribes.
Many other Israelites were moved to Mesopotamia; according to the Book of Kings a total of over twenty-seven thousand of them were deported to the northeast. The southern kingdom of Judah was spared when its king agreed to pay the conquering Assyrians a ransom in silver and gold.
Eventually, Assyrians began living in Israel, and their arrival brought new cultures and ways of life. However, Assyrians didn't deny Jewish practices, as they feared that the god they worshipped could be real and didn't want to upset him. This led them to adopt Judaism, albeit with a few changes. Likewise, the Hebrews didn't deny Assyrian practices, though the Assyrian presence was still deeply frowned upon by Jewish people.
The Assyrian conquest of Israel marked the historical beginning of the Jewish Diaspora, and was a tremendously important event in the history of Israel.
Many other Israelites were moved to Mesopotamia; according to the Book of Kings a total of over twenty-seven thousand of them were deported to the northeast. The southern kingdom of Judah was spared when its king agreed to pay the conquering Assyrians a ransom in silver and gold.
Eventually, Assyrians began living in Israel, and their arrival brought new cultures and ways of life. However, Assyrians didn't deny Jewish practices, as they feared that the god they worshipped could be real and didn't want to upset him. This led them to adopt Judaism, albeit with a few changes. Likewise, the Hebrews didn't deny Assyrian practices, though the Assyrian presence was still deeply frowned upon by Jewish people.
The Assyrian conquest of Israel marked the historical beginning of the Jewish Diaspora, and was a tremendously important event in the history of Israel.