The point is not really moot.
In Exodus and Joshua the tribes were operating upon and by directives.
The whole premise is that it was up to Hashem to instigate the return.
Yet others took it upon themselves to do so at the cost of great bloodshed.
If you read Zechariah, it state that the city shall be taken and half of the inhabitants shall go into captivity.
Perhaps that is a result of the point not being moot.