Up to this point, all of the previous references to the term "Israel" in the Book of Mormon have been related to the full "house of Israel," or the full nation of Israel with all its twelve tribes (see for example 1 Nephi 5:9, 10:12, 12:9; 2 Nephi 6:5, 9:1). However, here in 2 Nephi 17:1 the term "Israel" refers to the Northern Kingdom, that is the ten tribes other than Judah and Benjamin (who comprised the Southern Kingdom), and its lands, which were located north of those lands belonging to Judah and Benjamin.
After the death of Solomon, the tribes of Israel split into two kingdoms--the Northern kingdom of Israel, which renounced its allegiance to the throne of David, and the Southern kingdom of Judah, consisting of the tribal territories of Judah and Benjamin, over which the descendants of David and Solomon continued to reign in their capital at Jerusalem.
Jeroboam, the founder of the separate monarchy of the Northern kingdom, elevated the two ancient sanctuaries of Dan (in the far north) and Bethel (near the frontier with Judah) to the status of national shrines. In both of these golden bull-calves provided the visible pedestals for Yahweh's invisible throne (the function fulfilled by golden cherubs in the Jerusalem Temple). Omri (about 880 B.C.) founded a new capital for the Northern kingdom at Samaria.
About 745 B.C., Tiglath-pileser III became king of Assyria and inaugurated a campaign of imperial conquest which in less than a quarter of a century brought an end to the existence of the kingdom of Israel and to the independence of the kingdom of Judah. Menahem of Israel (about 745-737 B.C.) paid tribute to Tiglath-pileser, but an anti-Assyrian policy was pursued by Pekah (about 736-732 B.C.), who allied himself for this purpose with Damascus. Tiglath-pileser took Damascus, abolished the monarchy and transformed the territory into an Assyrian province; the northern and Transjordanian regions of Israel were detached and made into Assyrian provinces. The upper strata of the populations of these areas were deported and replaced by immigrants from other parts of the Assyrian empire. [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, pp. 709-711] [See the commentary on the man "Israel"--1 Nephi 5:9, and the larger "Israel" of all the twelve tribes--1 Nephi 12:9]
2 Nephi 17:1 Israel ([Illustration]): The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. [LDS Bible, Map 9, 1979 Edition]