Galilee was part of the northern kingdom of Israel in the Old Testament, but its inhabitants, in contrast to the Samaritans directly south of Galilee, seem share a religion with the descendants of the southern kingdom of Judah in the New Testament - why is that?

by joepyeweed

Was this area later settled by migrants from Jerusalem and/or Judea or were were they converted at some point "between the testaments" by the Hasmoneans or some other group? I've never been able to find a good explanation for this in the Bible or in other sources.

brojangles

The inhabitants of Galilee were forcibly converted to Judaism during the Hasmonean dynasty.

The main source for this is Josepus' Antiquities.