There is a third. God had the power to stop it, but allowed it to happen.
God gave us free will. We have to live with the consequences.
Man has free will. Yet HaShem's Divine Providence governs all things and everything is encoded within the Torah. Don't worry about it, don't try to rationalize it. Accept it.
That nails it! ............. FRegards
Greetings from the west.
I’ve been trying to relocate something in Prophets or Writings. IIRC, there was a phrase indicating that only Jewish people would teach those gathered from the dispersed, inlcuding the “lost tribes” (the first to be punished by dispersal but to be gathered later). We know that various groups of the nations claim to be the “lost” or to be destined to replace them, so the answer that I’m seeking might be worth finding again. ...and very relevant to Noachides (non-Jews like myself) everywhere as a warning against impersonating or otherwise rebelling, I guess.
On the topic at hand, the new, studying mind of an alien (mine) sees the people of Israel (Jewish people and all) having been dispersed (to be gathered later as G-d’s people before deposing the nations). I have not seen as to whether any Jewish populations would be destroyed by emanation from above while dispersed, but it appears that the chosen people were intended to be left at the mercy of the nations for some time. The nations will be destroyed—each according to the numbers and severities of their misdeeds—for having exercised their free will in persecuting Jewish people (including the misleading—assimilation—of the lost).
But then I, even being an alien, am certainly nowhere near being any kind of Torah expert. Correct me, if I’m wrong. ...but no hurry, and have a great weekend.