Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of deportation in the Bible often refers to the forced removal and exile of individuals or groups from their homeland, typically as a result of conquest or divine judgment. This theme is prevalent in the Old Testament, where the deportation of the Israelites serves as a significant event in their history and spiritual journey.
Old Testament Context1.
Assyrian Exile: The Northern Kingdom of Israel faced deportation at the hands of the Assyrians. In
2 Kings 17:6 , it is recorded, "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the towns of the Medes." This event marked the end of the Northern Kingdom and was seen as a consequence of Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience to God.
2.
Babylonian Exile: The Southern Kingdom of Judah experienced deportation under the Babylonians. In
2 Kings 24:14 , it states, "He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the commanders and mighty men of valor, a total of ten thousand captives, as well as all the craftsmen and metalsmiths. Only the poorest people of the land were left." This exile was a pivotal moment in Jewish history, leading to a period of reflection and repentance.
3.
Prophetic Warnings: The prophets frequently warned of deportation as a consequence of the people's unfaithfulness. Jeremiah, for instance, prophesied the Babylonian captivity, urging the people to submit to God's discipline. In
Jeremiah 25:11 , it is written, "This whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years."
Theological SignificanceDeportation in the Bible is often portrayed as both a judgment and a means of purification. It serves as a divine response to the covenantal unfaithfulness of God's people. The exile is not merely punitive but also redemptive, as it leads to a renewed commitment to the covenant and a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty and mercy.
Return from ExileThe return from exile is a theme of hope and restoration. The decree of Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
Ezra 1:1-3 records, "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing: 'This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel.'"
New Testament ReflectionsWhile the New Testament does not focus on deportation in the same historical sense, the theme of exile and return resonates in the spiritual journey of believers. The Apostle Peter refers to Christians as "foreigners and exiles" in
1 Peter 2:11 , emphasizing the transient nature of earthly life and the hope of eternal restoration with God.
In summary, deportation in the biblical narrative serves as a profound reminder of the consequences of disobedience, the faithfulness of God in discipline, and the hope of redemption and restoration.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Deport.
Strong's Hebrew
1540. galah -- to uncover, remove... exile (4), carry them away as exiles (2), certainly go (3), certainly go into captivity
(1), committed (1), depart (1), departed (3),
deported (1), disappears
...1541. gelah -- to reveal
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to galah Definition to reveal NASB Word Usage
deported (2), reveal (1), revealed (2), revealer (1), reveals (3)....
Library
Divided Worship
... Israel had beendeported to different parts of the Assyrian empire; men from different
parts of the empire weredeported to the land of Israel....
Of the Events which Happened on Account of Chrysostom.
... Even from thence he was removed anddeported to Pityus, a place at the extremity
of the Euxine and on the marches of the Roman Empire, in the near...
That we Ought to Give Ourselves to God with Regard to Things Both...
... Job's miserable, mistaken, comforters had sodeported themselves in their
controversy with Job that God's wrath was kindled against them....
The Siege. (xxi, xxxii-xxxiv, xxxvii, xxxviii. )
... I(571) shall not spare nor pity them"which is proof that this Oracle was uttered
before the end of the siege, when the survivors were not slain butdeported....
To the End and After
... When Nebuchadrezzardeported King Jehoiachin in 597, he set up in his place his
uncle Mattaniah, a son of Josiah by that Hamutal, who was also the mother of...
Esther
... The story falls within the reign of Xerxes"about 483 BC, but the hero Mordecai is
represented as being one of the exilesdeported with Jehoiachin in 597 BC...
1 John iii. 10
... of a judgment everywhere connected with the preaching of the Gospel, and going side
by side with it (as in John 3:19), if all mendeported themselves alike...
Of what Befell the Orthodox Bishops at Constantinople.
... Then the emperor perceived the greatness of his iniquity, and forthwith condemned
him to exile and to bedeported to a place in Phrygia....
The Origin of the Heretics' Close Observation of Syllables.
... Then the Emperor perceived the greatness of his iniquity, and forthwith condemned
him to exile and to bedeported to a place in Phrygia." St....
The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... of Nineveh mention a certain Dayaukku who was governor of the Mannai, and an ally
of the Assyrians in the days of Sargon, and was afterwardsdeported with his...
Thesaurus
Deported (12 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Deport. Multi-Version Concordance
Deported (12 Occurrences). 2 Kings 15:29 In the days of
...Deportation (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The act of deporting or exiling, or the state of
beingdeported; banishment; transportation. Multi-Version Concordance...
Country
... Following the usual Assyrian policy, great numbers of the inhabitants weredeported
from the conquered country, and their places taken by men brought from...
Deportment (12 Occurrences)
Captivity (141 Occurrences)
... the ruins of Khorsabad, we learn that he, and not Shalmaneser, was the king who
completed the conquest of the revolted kingdom anddeported the inhabitants to...
Samaria (123 Occurrences)
... Following the usual Assyrian policy, great numbers of the inhabitants weredeported
from the conquered country, and their places taken by men brought from...
Kedesh (12 Occurrences)
... When the Assyrians invaded the land under Tiglath-pileser, it was among the first
cities to be captured, and its inhabitants weredeported (2 Kings 15:29)....
Kir (11 Occurrences)
... In 2 Kings 16:9 it is mentioned as the place whither Tiglath-pileser IV carried
the Syrian (Aramean) captives which hedeported from Damascus after he had...
Gozan (5 Occurrences)
... go'-zan (gozan; Gozan, Codex Vaticanus, Gozar in 2 Kings 17:6, Chozar in 1 Chronicles
5:26): A place in Assyria to which Israelites weredeported on the fall...
Cyrus (20 Occurrences)
... At the same time he allowed the foreign populations who had beendeported to Babylonia
to return to their old homes, carrying with them the images of their gods...
Resources
What is British Israelism and is it biblical? | GotQuestions.orgSummary of the Book of Daniel - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.orgWho are the true Israelites? | GotQuestions.orgDeported: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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