Death ages of Saul, David, and Solomon

Kingdom of Priests, Eugene Merrill
"The best reading, then, would appear to be, 'Saul was (forty) years old when he began to reign. When he had reigned for two years...'" (193). See 1 Samuel 13:1. The number forty appears to be based on Merrill's point that Jonathan was grown at the time of Saul's ascension and also a leader of men, but it seems to be a rounded number. Acts 13:21 states that Saul reigned for forty years. "The reign of Saul had come to an end.... So David went to Hebron in 1011 B.C. and was formally crowned king of Judah" (221). THUS, Saul reigned from 1051-1011 and was perhaps 80 when he died.

2 Sam. 5:4 gives David's age at ascension as 30, reigning forty years. "David died in 971" (248). THUS, David reigned from 1011-971, and was 70 years old at death.

Merrill gives the birth of Solomon as 991. "When David was making plans for construction of the temple, he had referred to his son as 'young and inexperienced' (1 Chron. 22:5; 29:1). If Solomon was no more than twenty when he acceded to the throne, he could hardly have been more than eighteen when David discussed the temple construction with him (1 Chron. 22:6-16; cf. 23:1). Solomon would then have been born no earlier than 991, thirteen years after David had taken Jerusalem" (243). "Solomon was succeeded by his son Rehoboam, who reigned for seventeen years, from 931 ...." (320). Edwin Thiele concurs (192). 1 Kings 11:42 gives the length of Solomon's reign as forty years. THUS, Solomon reigned from 971-931 and was 60 years old at his death.