[If those Israelites dispersed throughout the Assyrian Kingdom they would have been taken over by the Babylonians who in turn were taken over by the Persians. Over time, they would have been considered to be Jews as were those taken captive a hundred years later. Many probably returned to Palestine, or intermarried with the local populations, losing their Israelite identity over time.]
The Israelites were not dispersed through the Assyrian kingdom. They were placed with other peoples at the norther border of Assyria to act as a buffer.
Well, they were placed with other peoples so they would lose their own national identity, which was the purpose of moving them.
Their stay there was at least 200 years, 8 generations. Even with any attrition the bulk thereof returning to Palestine would have pushed the region way over its count of 500,000.
You don't have any idea how many people were exiled.
You have no idea of their birth rate.
You have no idea of how many were intermarrying with the local people, as did many from the Southern tribes.
So, your numbers are all based on assumptions that have no factual basis.
Where is there indication the the Babylonians conquered the Assyrians, and when did that happen?
See my posts on this.
Amazing that you would not even know this as a fact!
"Many" returned to Palestine? Where did the rest go, if, as you say "many" returned to Palestine?
Probably stayed where they were an became part of the local population as did the Southern tribes when many did not go with Ezra and were in the Persian Kingdom during the days of Esther.
Well, they were placed with other peoples so they would lose their own national identity, which was the purpose of moving them. I agree. That's why they didn't regain it by combining with the Jews in Palestine. That's why we're having this discussion. Their identity is still lost.
You don't have any idea how many people were exiled. You have no idea of their birth rate. You have no idea of how many were intermarrying with the local people, as did many from the Southern tribes. So, your numbers are all based on assumptions that have no factual basis.
When you have a count of men, you may multiply it 4 or 5 time to get the true population. There was a count of Israelite men at somewhere around a million. I forget which passage in the Old Testament, maybe somewhere in Kings. That would make about 4 or 5 million.
God said be fruitful and multiply, so I would guess all of Israel did.
I suppose some of the northern kingdom intermarried with the Medes, which who they were placed on the Assyria northern border against the Urartu.
But this would have nothing to do with the southern kingdom. They weren't anywhere near the Assyrian/Urartu border.
See my posts on this.
And as I said about those posts, what do they have to do with the northern kingdom and the Medeians (plus others) from whipping the Assyrians and gaining their escape?
Probably stayed where they were an became part of the local population as did the Southern tribes when many did not go with Ezra and were in the Persian Kingdom during the days of Esther.
Anywhere than north through Turkey, huh? Of course.
