After introducing himself, James then addressed the letter to his audience, which was typical letter form at the time. To whom, then, was this letter written? “To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad” (1:1). Although most of the historical twelve tribes of Israel had lost their distinct identities centuries earlier in the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities, the term “twelve tribes of Israel” continued to be used as a figure of speech referring to all children of Israel throughout the world.