Final answer:
The statement is false as the downfall of the southern kingdom, Judah, led to the Babylonian Captivity, not the Assyrian captivity. The Assyrians were overtaken by the Babylonians and Medes before Judah's fall.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the end result of the downfall of the southern kingdom was the Assyrian captivity is False. The southern kingdom, referred to in historical texts as Judah, experienced its downfall and the subsequent captivity under the Babylonians, not the Assyrians. The Assyrian Empire, after a period of declining power due to civil wars and military pressure, was eventually conquered by a coalition including the Babylonians and the Medes. The fall of the Assyrian Empire culminated with the sacking of Nineveh around 612 BCE.
It was the Babylonian Empire, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, that destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BCE and initiated the event known as the Babylonian Captivity or Exile. During this event, a significant number of Judeans were deported to Babylon. This period of captivity and exile had a profound impact on Jewish history and identity.