The Quest for the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel

This book deals with the search for the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel by Jews and by Christians. Rivka Gonen discusses the various motivations for the search and the methods used by the searchers, from similarity of language, physical appearance, customs and mythology, to a re-interpretation of biblical excerpts to suit specific situations encountered by the searchers. The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel have a place among the great mythologies of the world, and have been a subject of much speculation, hope, and manipulation throughout the ages. This book explores the early whereabouts of the tribes until they disappeared from historical records, and from there carries the story of the search and the various avenues it took. For the Jews, who for most of the period since the defeat and dispersal of the Ten Tribes lived themselves in exile, the notion that the Ten Tribes were not really lost became an important source of hope and expectation. Christian search was motivated by other factors altogether. For them, the Ten Lost Tribes were identified with Jews who did not participate in the ultimate Jewish sin_the crucifixion of Jesus.