The writer of 1 Kings interrupts his historical narrative to make it clear that the separation of the kingdom was just that, a separation and not the loss by Rehoboam of the entire kingdom. He informs his readers that Judah remained under the rule of Solomon’s heir.
He does this, however, in a surprising manner, for he doesn’t refer to Rehoboam’s subjects as a tribe but as the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah.
This might be an attempt to describe the tribe in an unusual manner, but that is unlikely.
It more likely indicates that there were some people whose tribal heritage was in one or another of the ten tribes that rebelled, but who at that time resided in the territory of Judah. It is noteworthy that the writer describes these people as living in the cities of Judah. Such a state of affairs would mean that they were not residing on the tillable land given by inheritance to the members of the tribe of Judah.
17 Les enfants d'Israël qui habitaient les villes de Juda furent les seuls sur qui régna Roboam.