Lost Tribes
Preserved but no longer current.
The term used for that portion of the Hebrew race that disappeared from North Palestine about 140 years before the dispersion of the Jews. This disappearance has caused much speculation, especially among those who look forward to a restoration of the Hebrews as foretold in the O.T.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Lost Tribes” mean?
The term used for that portion of the Hebrew race that disappeared from North Palestine about 140 years before the dispersion of the Jews. This disappearance has caused much speculation, especially among those who look forward to a restoration of the Hebrews as foretold in the O.T.
Is “Lost Tribes” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.