Jeroboam, who would become the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, was from Ephraim, the most prominent tribe in the North (v. 26).
Part of Benjamin affiliated voluntarily with Judah eventually (v. 32; cf. 12:21; 2 Chron. 11:1, 10; 15:2, 9; Ezra 4:1). Really parts of two tribes joined the kingdom of Judah: Simeon and Benjamin.116The reference to 10 northern tribes evidently included the nine remaining tribes plus either Benjamin or Simeon, whichever provided the majority of its tribe to support the Northern Kingdom. This appears to have been Simeon (cf. 2 Chron. 15:9; 34:6). Levi did not figure in either group.
"Tenas the number of completeness and totality is placed in contrast with one, to indicate that all Israel was to be torn away from the house of David, as is stated in ch. xii. 20 . . ."117
David's lamp (v. 36) refers to his descendant on the throne (cf. 2 Sam. 21:17).118
God's conditional promise to Jeroboam was similar to His promises to Saul (1 Sam. 13:13), to David (2 Sam. 7:11, 27), and to Solomon (9:4-7).
God would afflict the descendants of David (v. 39) until He raised up Messiah when all Israel would come under His authority as it had been under David and Solomon's authority.119
The reference to Shishak king of Egypt (v. 40) is the first to identify a Pharaoh by name in the Bible. Shishak later invaded Jerusalem during Rehoboam's reign (14:25-26).
