Solomon's Age

“The king also said to them, ‘Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel.” (1 Kings 1:33-34 NKJV)

 

The age of Solomon when he became king is not specified
The age of Solomon when he died is not specified
Only the duration of his reign is stated: “Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years.” (1 Kings 11:42 ESV)

 

EVENTS AFTER SOLOMON’S BIRTH

There are certain events given that appear to have begun shortly after the birth of Solomon that provide a MINIMUM number of years between the birth of Solomon and his ascension to the throne.

  • These events begin as a judgment upon David for the sin of Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah: “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.” (2 Samuel 12:10–11 ESV)
  • The first set of events involve the sons and daughter of David
  • The later set of events involve troubles within the nation of Israel

 

“ABSALOM COUNTDOWN”

The first set of events involves Absalom and occurred in the following sequence and duration:

  • Year 0              Absalom hears of the rape of his sister Tamar by Amnon
  • Years 1-2         Absalom waits two years before he assassinates Amnon
  • Years 3-5         The years of Absalom’s exile at Geshur
  • Year 6              The year Absalom allowed to return to Jerusalem
  • Years 6-7         The years Absalom kept separated from David
  • Years 8-11       The years of Absalom planning to rebel
  • Year 12            The rebellion and death of Absalom

 

START OF “ABSALOM’S COUNTDOWN”

  • The troubles in David’s family, beginning with the rape of Absalom’s sister Tamar, could have begun as soon as Nathan pronounced judgment, which occurred during the first few days after the birth of the first son of David and Bathsheba. Thus “Absalom’s Countdown” may have begun almost a full year before the birth of Solomon, and finished when Solomon was eleven years old. Yet the account of the rape of Tamar is listed after the birth of Solomon, which appears to reinforce the timeline where “Absalom’s Countdown” began after the birth of Solomon.
  • Although it is not stated, Bathsheba probably waited the forty days of purification after the death of the first son before engaging in sexual relations with David: “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed.” (Leviticus 12:2–4 ESV) It appears that Solomon was conceived shortly after the time of purification was completed: “Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him” (2 Samuel 12:24 ESV)
  • The 40 days of purification followed by the 280 days of a normal pregnancy indicate that Solomon was born almost a full year after the judgment was declared against David. The interval between the birth of Solomon and the rape of Absalom’s sister is not given, and thus the twelve- year duration of “Absalom’s Countdown” could have begun as soon as Solomon was born, or may have began a few years after Solomon was born.

The interval between the birth of Solomon and the rape of Absalom’s sister is not stated.

  • If Solomon were born only a few months before Tamar was raped, then Solomon would have been 12 when Absalom died.
  • If Solomon were a few years old when Tamar was raped, then Absalom’s death would have occurred twelve years later.

At a minimum, Solomon was 12 years old when Absalom died.

 

THE FAMINE, THE CENSUS, AND ABISHAG

Two additional events are listed after the death of Absalom, and before Solomon ascended to the throne.