ירמיהו, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ח

The future era of the ingathering of the exiles promises a profound national healing, mending the historical divide between the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel. During this destined period of return [רד״ק, מלבי״ם], the descendants of Judah will finally depart from their places of exile. This specifically points to those exiled from Judean cities by the Assyrian King Sennacherib long before the fall of Jerusalem, a group that never had the opportunity to return during the era of the Second Temple [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

Rather than returning alone, the people of Judah will join together with the Ten Tribes of Israel [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The two fractured halves of the nation will gather, merge into a single unified kingdom, and establish a shared leadership [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Offering a unique historical perspective, [אברבנאל] envisions this reunion as an active, physical journey. Drawing on accounts from his own time, he explains that exiles from Judah and Benjamin were living in remote regions beyond the "Mountains of Darkness," located near the settlements of the Ten Tribes. Therefore, the prophecy foretells that the Judean exiles will physically travel to the communities of the Israelite exiles so they can unite and begin their journey home together.

Once united, both houses will depart together from the northern lands of their captivity [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ], a region situated north and east of Babylon [רד״ק]. Their ultimate destination is their ancestral homeland. While the primary approach among commentators understands this journey simply as a return to the Land of Israel [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ], [מלבי״ם] highlights a deeper motivation behind their travels. Their journey is undertaken specifically for the sake of the land. Their homecoming will not be driven merely by a need to escape their exile, but by a positive, intentional desire to return for the land itself.