The land of northern Israel was known as Shomeron, and today is referred to as Samaria.  

This "Samaria" is where 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel once called home  -  and they were called "Samaritans", as people are often known by where they are from.   Each tribe had been given a portion of the land as an inheritance (except for the tribe Lewi, who lived among the other tribes all over the land).   The "Samaritans" were indeed Israel  -  10 tribes of it in fact!   Scripture refers to these 10 tribes in the northern area, Samaria, as the "House of Israel".   We know that they were scattered, but will one day be re-gathered (Ez. / Yekezqal 37).

     Abshalom, the son of Da'ud, caused the beginning of a division between the northern 10 tribes, and the 2 tribes in the south around Yerushalyim.    Eventually, the "Samaritans" rebelled against the authority of the southern king at Yerushalyim, and then hatred developed between the north and the south.   The north became known as the "House of Israel", and was sometimes referred to as "Ephraim" (or Afrayim).    The south became known as the "House of Yahudah."    The main contention between them was over WHERE to gather to observe the festivals of Unleavened Bread, Shabuoth, and Tabernacles (Sukkoth).   So, to control the population, the Samaritan rulers created an 11th Commandment, or the 614th Torah ordinance.  

The 11th commandment in the Samaritan Pentateuch:

 "Thou shalt worship Yahuah your Alahim in Mount Gerizim"

     Recall that Yahusha's conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well involved this "11th Commandment" Yn. 4:19-24: "The woman said to Him, 'Master, I see that You are a prophet.   Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you (people) say that in Yerushalayim is the place where one needs to worship.'   Yahusha said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Yerushalayim, worship the Father.   You worship what you do not know.   We worship what we know, because the deliverance is of the Yahudim.  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to worship Him.  Alahim is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth.'"  (Those of you who are being pressured to go to a SPECIFIC place 3 times a year should read that 11th Commandment above, and weigh it in your heart whether or not you are listening to Yahusha, or your flawed leader's voice).  

Where TWO or more are gathered, Yahusha said, "I will be there."

     The "Samaritans" or "House of Israel" was apostate, in rebellion;  but be mindful, the Samaritans were not "foreigners", but were (and are) Israelites.   They built a second Temple, or shrine, on Mount Gerizim. 

They added an eleventh Commandment to the Covenant  -  a major mistake.   They also forbade the people of Samaria from observing the festivals at Yerushalyim, and appointed their own kohenim (priests), all of which contributed to their being ensnared by the Assyrian invaders.  

The northern tribes were attacked and scattered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE, but Yahuah knows where they are even after 2700+ years.

Afrayim is an important tribe to study, if you want to have your finger on the pulse of end-time events.  They're not "Jews" simply because they are not of the tribe of Yahudah.  Remember Yusef?   He had 2 sons while he was ruler in Mitsrayim (Egypt): Manasseh (1st born) and Afrayim (2nd born). 

The mother of both boys was the Egyptian girl who was given to Yusef to be his wife.   Among the 12 tribes of YaAqob (Israel), Reuben was the "first born", but his status was taken from him because he defiled his father's bed by sleeping with one of the wives of his father. Later, when Yusef brought Manasseh and Ephraim before Israel to receive his blessing, Ephraim received the blessing of the firstborn when Israel crossed his arms over the 2 boys' heads. The older brother, the firstborn son, is the one who expects the blessing as the firstborn;  but when there is uncleanness or anything corrupt in that firstborn son, we see that the younger brother will be selected to receive this cherished blessing.   Sometimes it is simply the will of the father to give the younger son the blessing of the firstborn.

     In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we see there are 2 brothers also. 

The older son stays home in the Father's household (keeps Torah).  

The younger son takes what he is due as an inheritance, and leaves the household (no longer observes Torah).   Amos 9:9 tells us this:  "For look, I am commanding, and I shall sift the house of Israel among all the Gentiles, as one sifts with a sieve, yet not a grain falls to the ground."  This "house of Israel" refers to the Samaritans, the lost 10 tribes, also generally called "Ephraim".   So, where's Afrayim?   They are sown into the Gentiles, and they are returning as the Prodigal Son now. The attention the Prodigal Son receives from the Father troubles the "older brother."  But now we can understand why a little better;  Afrayim also has the status of firstborn even though he has been living for generations as an apostate "Gentile"  --  raised by Gentiles!   In the same chapter which prophesies the "re-newed Covenant" with the house of Yisharal and the house of Yahudah (the same 2 sons as in the parable),  YirmeYahu 31, we read at verse 6:   "For there shall be a day when the watchmen cry on Mount Ephraim, 'Arise, and let us go up to Tsiyon, to Yahuah our Alahim'."  (Jer. 31:6).    The "watchmen" are "NATSARIM"  -- the same word used in this Hebrew text which we refer to ourselves today with.   We guard the Commandments of Yahuah, and hold to the testimony of Yahusha.   The term "Mount Ephraim" is everywhere the foundation of Afrayim is, which they turn away from and return (repent) to the Father's household, His Torah.    Afrayim is literally everywhere, and they are now repenting and leaving the pig pens.   The parable of the Prodigal Son describes a "famine" where Afrayim has been;  this is living without the Commandments, the Bread of Life, the Living Torah. His Father's house has this Bread, the Covenant Ten Commandments, which are written upon our hearts by the Messiah, Who now lives in us who repent, believe, and obey His Torah.

     Yes, the people of Afrayim are currently living among people of unclean lips, but they are hungry for the Word (Torah, Commandments) of their Father's household, and this same Bread gives life to all those who eat of it.   This "bread" is not about "belief" only;  one must also "do" the Word, or they are faking, lying, and/or simply deceived.   They cannot obey without receiving Yahusha, Who enables them to walk in the Spirit. They know they cannot obey while walking in the flesh, nor do they have any desire to obey.

     Of all the tribes of Israel, Afrayim holds the status and entitlements of the firstborn  -  directly bestowed upon him and his descendants by Israel, the father of the 12 tribes. While the Samaritans have been thoroughly dispersed among the Gentiles long ago as part of Yahuah's plan (or secret), the "older brother" the Yahudim (or house of Yahudah) were also dispersed into the seed of the Gentiles.   When the house of Yahudah was carried away by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, only 10% returned to rebuild Yerushalyim after their 70 years of captivity.    So, all 12 tribes are lost; and the "older brother" cannot discern who this returning fellow is at all.   

But, let's be loving, patient, kind, and gentle with people as they try to comprehend who we are. They may initially attempt to fit us into a "box" or label us with a term they already understand.  But, we have escaped from the box, or any pig pen (denominational prison) formerly designed to hold us;  we have been set free, because we have accepted a most precious gift:  a love of the Truth.

The King of the universe in coming, to establish His reign on the Earth. It will replace the man-made rulers and governments with the Torah. Yahusha’s Name will be Yahuah Tsedekenu, not “Jesus.”

The re-gathering is taking place now.

The prodigal son is returning to the Father’s Covenant (household).