Yet to his son I will give one tribe: This verse begins with the common conjunction. Here it seems to express a slight concession; that is, despite the fact that God is going to punish Solomon, nevertheless he will not take all of the tribes from Solomon’s son. Revised Standard Version expresses the concession with the connector Yet (also An American Translation). Other interpreters have understood verse 36 to express a slight contrast with the previous verse; that is, God will give ten tribes to Jeroboam, but he will not give him all of the tribes. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version convey the contrast with the conjunction “but.”
His son refers to “Solomon’s son,” as a number of translations make explicit (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Parole de Vie) as in the previous verse.
David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem: The lamp was a symbol for the continuing existence of the royal dynasty, that is, a symbol of hope. The lamp promised to David and his descendants is certainly not to be understood in terms of a literal lantern or flame. Rather, it is a figurative expression, which is also found in 2 Sam 21.17; 1 Kgs 15.4 and 2 Kgs 8.19. The king of Israel is symbolized by a light because he is an example to his subjects and his influence spreads everywhere in the kingdom. In some languages, however, the figurative language may obscure the meaning. If this is the case, translators may consider dropping the image, as in International Children’s Bible, which reads “David, my servant, will always have a king before me in Jerusalem.” Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, and most common language translations drop the figurative language in favor of a more meaningful translation of the sense.
Where I have chosen to put my name may be translated “where I want people to worship me.” See the comments at 1 Kgs 5.3 and 9.3.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .