Howbeit, I will not take the kingdom out of his hand,.... Not any part of it, 1 Kings 11:12,
but I will make him prince all the days of his life; that is, he shall continue to hold the government of all the tribes so long as he lives:
for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes; see 1 Kings 11:12, or was well pleased with, as the Targum; for keeping the commands of God from right principles, and with right views, is well pleasing to him.