I’m not sure you’re making progress at all. This is really not hard.
The southern kingdom was composed of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe boundaries are described in detail in the book of Joshua, should you wish to check me.
When Israel split after Solomon’s death and the failure of Ish-Bosheth to unite the tribes, the ten northern tribes became Israel, and Judah and Benjamin became Judah, capital Jerusalem.
When the southern kingdom was conquered by Babylon, the captives were from both tribes, Judah and Benjamin. They (including Mordecai) became known as “Jews” because they were from the kingdom of Judah. When they returned to rebuild after the captivity, they were still Jews. When Jesus walked the land, they were still Jews. Benjamites and those of Judah, all Jews.
As for the 10 northern tribes, they were never re-united, never returned to the homeland, were assimilated and scattered and re-homed. They became mongrels, like the Samaritans. (Check the middle of II Kings for a description of their plight. I’m too tired to look it up for you.) Their descendants, assuming they have any knowledge of their genetics, would certainly be part physical Israelite, but they would not be Jews.
I, too, consider myself an ingrafted member of the spiritual Israelites, God’s chosen people. And I don’t have a drop of Semitic blood in me.
Don’t mean to quibble, but the tribe of Levi is still in existence as anyone who goes to synagogue knows. First reading of the Torah is by a Kohen, second by a Levi, third by Israel which is any other tribe... Levi did not have their own land but instead had cities in the land of the other tribes.
Israelites from tribes other than Judah and Benjamin were in the land of Israel, in the Exile, and present at Jerusalem, and are properly called Jews. Even the Hebrew language is also called the Jews' language. And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Second Chronicles, Catholic chapter fifteen, Protestant verses eight to twelve,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James,
boldness mine
Second Chronicles, Catholic chapter thirty, Protestant verses one to eleven,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James,
boldness mine
Second Chronicles, Catholic chapter thirty two, Protestant verse eighteen,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James,
boldness mine
Luke, Catholic chapter two, Protestant verses thirty six to thirty eight,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James,
boldness mine