1 Kings 11:32 But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

◄ 1 Kings 11:32 ►

New International Version
But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe.

New Living Translation
But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

English Standard Version
(but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),

Berean Standard Bible
But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

King James Bible
(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

New King James Version
(but he shall have one tribe for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),

New American Standard Bible
(but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel),

NASB 1995
(but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel),

NASB 1977
(but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel),

Legacy Standard Bible
but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel,

Amplified Bible
but he [and his descendants] shall have one tribe (Benjamin was annexed to Judah), for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel—

Christian Standard Bible
but one tribe will remain his for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I chose out of all the tribes of Israel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but one tribe will remain his because of my servant David and because of Jerusalem, the city I chose out of all the tribes of Israel.

American Standard Version
(but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel);

Contemporary English Version
But Solomon will still rule one tribe, since he is the son of David my servant, and Jerusalem is my chosen city.

English Revised Version
(but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He will have one tribe [left] because of my servant David and Jerusalem, the city I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel.

Good News Translation
Solomon will keep one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be my own from the whole land of Israel.

International Standard Version
I'll leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and one tribe for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I chose from all of the tribes of Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

NET Bible
He will retain one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

New Heart English Bible
(but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel);

Webster's Bible Translation
(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

World English Bible
(but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
but he has the one tribe for My servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have fixed on, out of all the tribes of Israel,

Young's Literal Translation
and the one tribe he hath for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have fixed on, out of all the tribes of Israel.

Smith's Literal Translation
(And the one tribe shall be to him, for sake of my servant David, and for sake of Jerusalem the city which I chose in it from all the tribes of Israel:)

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But one tribe shall remain to him for the sake of my servant David, and Jerusalem the city, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Yet one tribe shall remain with him, for the sake of my servant, David, as well as Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

New American Bible
He shall have one tribe for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
One tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel);

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And one tribe shall be for him, because of David my Servant, and because of the city Jerusalem, for I have delighted in it more than in all the tribes of Israel.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
but he shall have one tribe, for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yet he shall have two tribes, for my servant David's sake, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jeroboam's Rebellion
…31and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes. 32But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Kings 12:20
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

1 Kings 12:21-24
And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. / But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: / “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people ...

2 Chronicles 10:17
but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.

2 Chronicles 11:1-4
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. / But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: / “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin ...

1 Kings 11:11-13
Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. / Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it during your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. / Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

1 Kings 11:29-31
During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field. / And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces, / and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes.

1 Kings 12:15
So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

2 Samuel 7:12-16
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. ...

1 Kings 8:25
Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk before Me as you have done.’

2 Chronicles 6:16
Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’

2 Kings 17:18-20
So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained, / and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced. / So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.

2 Kings 19:34
I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”

Isaiah 37:35
‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”

Matthew 1:1-2
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: / Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Matthew 1:6
and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,

Treasury of Scripture

(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

he shall

1 Kings 12:20
And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

for Jerusalem's sake

1 Kings 11:13
Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

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Chosen City David David's Fixed Israel Jerusalem Jerusalem's Sake Servant Tribe Tribes

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Chosen City David David's Fixed Israel Jerusalem Jerusalem's Sake Servant Tribe Tribes

1 Kings 11

1. Solomon's wives and concubines
4. In his old age they draw him to idolatry
9. God threatens him,
14. Solomon's adversaries were Hadad, who was entertained in Egypt
23. Rezon, who reigned in Damascus
26. And Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah prophesied
41. Solomon's acts, reign, and death. Rehoboam succeeds him

Berean Study Bible

But one tribe
This phrase signifies the division of the united kingdom of Israel. The Hebrew word for "tribe" is "שֵׁבֶט" (shevet), which can also mean "staff" or "rod," symbolizing authority and identity. Historically, this refers to the tribe of Judah, which remained loyal to the Davidic line. This division was a direct consequence of Solomon's disobedience, yet God's promise to David ensured that his lineage would not be entirely cut off.

will remain
The Hebrew root "נָתַן" (natan) means "to give" or "to grant." This indicates God's sovereign decision to preserve a remnant for David's sake. It underscores the theme of divine grace and faithfulness, as God maintains His covenant despite human failure.

for the sake of My servant David
David is referred to as "My servant," highlighting his special relationship with God. The Hebrew word "עֶבֶד" (eved) denotes a servant or bondservant, emphasizing loyalty and service. David's heart for God and his covenant with Him (2 Samuel 7) ensured that his lineage would continue, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His promises.

and for the sake of Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the city of David, holds a central place in biblical history. The Hebrew name "יְרוּשָׁלַיִם" (Yerushalayim) is often associated with peace and completeness. God's choice of Jerusalem as His dwelling place (Psalm 132:13) signifies its spiritual significance and the divine plan for redemption that would unfold there.

the city I have chosen
The act of choosing, "בָּחַר" (bachar) in Hebrew, reflects God's sovereign will and purpose. Jerusalem was chosen as the spiritual and political center of Israel, a place where God's presence would dwell in the temple. This choice underscores the city's enduring significance in God's redemptive history.

out of all the tribes of Israel
This phrase emphasizes the unique selection of Jerusalem and the tribe of Judah from among the twelve tribes. It highlights God's sovereign election and the unfolding of His divine plan through a specific lineage and location. This choice is a testament to God's providence and the fulfillment of His promises throughout biblical history.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 32. - But he shall have one tribe [LXX. δύο σκῆπτρα. Some would understand "one tribe, in addition to Judah," but compare 1 Kings 12:20, "tribe of Judah only," and see note on ver. 13. Possibly neither Judah nor Benjamin is here to be thought of separately. In 1 Kings 12:21, and 2 Chronicles 11:3, 23, they are both reckoned to Rehoboam. They might be regarded as in some sense one, inasmuch as they enclosed the Holy City (Seb. Schmidt), the line of division passing right through the temple platform. But it is perhaps safer, in view of 1 Kings 12:20, to understand the term of Judah, compared with which large and influential tribe "little Benjamin" was hardly deserving of separate mention) for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake [see on vers. 12, 13], the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But one
הָאֶחָ֖ד (hā·’e·ḥāḏ)
Article | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

tribe
וְהַשֵּׁ֥בֶט (wə·haš·šê·ḇeṭ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

will remain
יִֽהְיֶה־ (yih·yeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

for the sake
לְמַ֣עַן ׀ (lə·ma·‘an)
Preposition
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

of My servant
עַבְדִּ֣י (‘aḇ·dî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

David
דָוִ֗ד (ḏā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and for the sake
וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ (ū·lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

of Jerusalem,
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

the city
הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

I chose
בָּחַ֣רְתִּי (bā·ḥar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 977: To try, select

out of all
מִכֹּ֖ל (mik·kōl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the tribes
שִׁבְטֵ֥י (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

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OT History: 1 Kings 11:32 But he shall have one tribe (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)