Division to Dispersal
“6 And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of YHWH, and went not fully after YHWH, as did David his father.
9 And YHWH was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from YHWH, the God of Yisrael, who had appeared unto him twice,
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he kept not that which YHWH commanded.
11 Wherefore YHWH said unto Solomon: 'Forasmuch as this hath been in thy mind, and thou hast not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake; but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.”
1 Kings 11:6, 10-12
The Jewish Virtual Library (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-two-kingdoms-of-israel) clearly paints the extravagant life-style of King Solomon as problematic, it does not, however, mention his apostasy to YHWH, nor the fact that the heart of his son was hardened, which caused him to offend the northern tribes, thereby fulfilling the promise of the ultimate split into two kingdoms.
The God of Israel took rulership over the whole nation from the house of David- the northern ten tribes did not simply rebel! This was the point at which Israel and Judah separated; from this juncture on, the name Israel did not necessarily include all of the tribes.
As a consequence of the continual apostasy of the two kingdoms, they are sent into captivity; the northern kingdom, Israel, in 722-3 B.C., then Judah, first in 586 B.C. and finally in 70 A.D. The people of Ephraim/Israel were dispersed throughout the Assyrian empire and the nations of the earth, losing all cohesiveness and thereby their national identity. This was in fulfillment of
Deuteronomy 28:
“15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of YHWH thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee.
25 YHWH will cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them, and shalt flee seven ways before them; and thou shalt be a horror unto all the kingdoms of the earth.
29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not make thy ways prosperous; and thou shalt be only oppressed and robbed always, and there shall be none to save thee.
30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her; thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein; thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not use the fruit thereof.
32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day; and there shall be nought in the power of thy hand.
36 YHWH will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples whither YHWH shall lead thee away.
41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be thine; for they shall go into captivity.
62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude, because thou didst not hearken unto the voice of YHWH thy God.
64 And YHWH shall scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone.
65 And among these nations shalt thou have no repose, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot; but YHWH shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and languishing of soul.
67 In the morning thou shalt say: 'Would it were even!' and at even thou shalt say: 'Would it were morning!' for the fear of thy heart which thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
68 And YHWH shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee: 'Thou shalt see it no more again'; and there ye shall become addicted to being slaves and bondwoman for your enemies, and none shall gather you.