Solomon's Age

The completion of a forty-year reign at a time when a person is described as “old” indicates that they began the forty-year reign when they were at least twenty.
The article “Young and Old”[18] describes the four age categories listed in the Bible: a) one month to five years, b) five years to twenty years, c) twenty years to sixty years, and d) sixty years and older.
Paul described women over sixty as different from “younger widows”: “Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry” (1 Timothy 5:9–11 ESV)
Solomon was already called “old” when he began to allow idolatry. The number of years he allowed idolatry is not given, but may have extended for several years.

It is likely that Solomon concluded his reign during the LAST age category described in Scripture, namely after age sixty

The son of David became king and was a source of glory to the entire world.

The Son of David is King of kings and is a source of glory to the ends of the earth.

“The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:42 NKJV)

^{^[1]} See article “Child’s Age” at https://3amthoughts.com/article/bible-study/childs-age

^{^[2]} R. D. Patterson and Hermann J. Austel, “1, 2 Kings,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 4 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988), 46, 1 Kings 3:7

^{^[3]} John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), 1 Ki 3:7.

^{^[4]} Gene Rice, Nations under God: A Commentary on the Book of 1 Kings, International Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1990), 33, 1 Kings 3:6–9

^{^[5]} George Barlow, I & II Kings, The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary (New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1892), 47, 1 Kings 3:7; accessed 9/26/2015 at http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/phc/view.cgi?bk=10&ch=3 (verses 5-15)

^{^[6]} J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary: History of Israel (1 and 2 Kings), electronic ed., vol. 13 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 34, 1 Kings 3:8

^{^[7]} Charles F. Pfeiffer, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), 1 Kings 3:6.

^{^[8]} J. Rawson Lumby, The First Book of the Kings, with Introduction and Notes, The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1886), 160, 1 Kings 14:21; accessed 9/30/2015 at http://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/1_kings/14.htm

^{^[9]} Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, vol. 3, Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995), 1 Kings 14:21.

^{^[10]} Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 3 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 150, 1 Kings 14:21–31; accessed 9/30/2015 at http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kdo/view.cgi?bk=10&ch=14

^{^[11]} Edward E. Hindson and Woodrow Michael Kroll, eds., KJV Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 676, 1 Kings 14:21

^{^[12]} Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 1 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 691, 1 Kings 14:21; accessed 9/30/2015 at http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/view.cgi?bk=10&ch=14

^{^[13]} Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Responsible, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2002), 86–88, 1 Kings 12:1–24

^{^[14]} John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, vol. 2 (Bristol: William Pine, 1765), 1145–1146, 1 Kings 14:21; accessed 9/30/2015 at http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/wesleys-explanatory-notes/1-kings/1-kings-14.html

^{^[15]} See article “Fathers at Impossible Ages” at https://3amthoughts.com/article/bible-study/fathers-impossible-ages

^{^[16]} See article “Ahaz – a Young Father” at http://www.3amthoughts.com/article/people-and-places/ahaz-young-father

^{^[17]} Se article “Josiah’s Sons” at http://www.3amthoughts.com/article/people-and-places/josiahs-sons

[18] See article “Young and Old” at https://3amthoughts.com/article/bible-study/young-and-old

People and Places