=5. “The cities of the Medes”= here spoken of had been only recently conquered by Tiglath-pileser. In an inscription, towards the end of his reign, he mentions Parthia (parts of Media), Nisæa, and other places that paid him tribute. It was in 736 B. C. that he made a great expedition in the east, farther than any of his predecessors, reaching the frontiers of India. He was succeeded by Shalmaneser, B. C. 727, who died and was succeeded by Sargon, B. C. 721, the year of the capture of Samaria.[98] The war of the first captivity (page 158) was carried on between B. C. 733‒731 by Tiglath-pileser, and it was then that the first recorded instance occurred of the practice of transplanting the whole people of a conquered country to places far distant from their native land and replacing them by other captives.[99] Such was afterward the act of Esar-haddon in regard to Samaria, as stated in Ezra 4:2. This king reigned B. C. 681‒668.[100] The captivity B. C. 721 was the last captivity in any form of Israel, which is known as “the northern kingdom,” in contradistinction from Judah, “the southern kingdom.” It comprised “the ten tribes.” =6. The third captivity=, B. C. 606. Of the captivities of Judah, the first happened when Daniel and others were carried off to Babylon, B. C. 606, 2 Kings 24:2; 2 Chron. 36:6; Dan. 1:3, when but a few were sent to Babylon. =7. The fourth captivity=, B. C. 599‒598. The second deportation to Babylon from Judah was in B. C. 599‒598, when 10,000 captives were taken from Jerusalem, 2 Kings 24:12, and from the surrounding country 3,023, Jer. 52:28. The king Jehoiachin was also taken captive. =8. The fifth and final captivity=, B. C. 588. In the third great captivity of Judah Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem by burning the Temple and pulling down the walls and the houses. Perhaps in all 100,000 were carried off at various times. While this number was comparatively small, it represented the very strength of the kingdom of Judah, with which tribe the promise of the Messiah alone rested, and it was of this tribe that the majority of those who returned to Palestine were composed. The captives of Judah remained in or around Babylon during the entire term of their captivity.