Frequently asked questions and answers:

Question 106: Where was the twelve tribe at the time of the Jewish kings?

Answer:

Rehoboam reigned over one and Jeroboam over ten. (1 Kings 11:31-35, 12:21.) The tribe of Levi was not counted because it had no land possessions (Numbers 18:20-24), except cities for dwellings, with their outlying fields for pasturage (Numbers 35:1-8). The tribe of Joseph was divided into two parts, Ephraim and Manasseh, which are usually spoken of as two distinct tribes. But in this division Joseph seems to have been counted as but one tribe, making Jeroboam's ten. Although Rehoboam at first retained only Judah, most of the tribe of Benjamin soon joined his kingdom. Simeon and Dan also became part of the kingdom of Judah.