The two kingdoms

After Solomon’s death c922 BC, the Hebrew nation, in a dispute over taxation, split into two: the norther and the southern kingdoms (known as Israel and Judah respectively).  Judah was composed of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, while Israel was composed of the other ten tribes.

The northern kingdom (Israel)

Israel was also known as Ephraim, after the tribe of Ephraim, which became strong: 

Zec 10:7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 

All the kings of the northern kingdom were idolatrous (e.g. Ahab).

Because of its stubborn idolatry (even though they were sent prophets such as Elijah), the Lord eventually left the northern kingdom to its own ways:

Ho 4:17  Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

They had exhausted their probation, and the Lord left Israel (Ephraim) to the mercy of its enemies, particularly Assyria, which in 722 BC overran the northern kingdom.

The ten northern tribes were dispersed widely and simply disappeared - they are known as the ten lost tribes.  The area of the northern kingdom eventually became Samaria. 

The southern kingdom (Judah)

The southern kingdom had both Godly kings (e.g. Hezekiah) and idolatrous kings (e.g. Zedekiah).

The southern kingdom, therefore, was not continually idolatrous.  However, despite prophets such as Jeremiah, the southern kingdom eventually succumbed to idolatry, and finally, begining in 597 BC, they went into captivity in Babylon.  Jerusalem, together with Soloman's Temple, was destroyed.