How Old Was David When He Became King
The age of David is one of the more debated topics in the Bible. It’s clear that he was young when he became king, but the exact age varies based on interpretation.
David was about 20 years old when he was anointed king of Judah.
When the Lord chose David to be king over all Israel, he was about 30 years old. At this time, he was anointed king both in Judah and Israel.
David’s story begins with his escape from his father’s house after killing the giant Goliath. He came back home to live with his wife Michal (1 Samuel 18-25), but soon was called into battle again by King Saul (1 Samuel 26-28). It was during these battles that God chose him to become king over all of Israel. This choice took place after Abner defected from Saul’s army and joined David at Hebron (2 Samuel 3).
The Bible does not specify how old David was when he died, but he was likely between 60 and 70 years old.
The Bible does not tell us how old David was when he became king of Israel, but it is most likely that he was about 30 years old. The Bible also does not specify how old David was when he died. While in Hebron, David was anointed king over Judah by Abiathar, but not yet over the rest of Israel. This was because Saul’s son Ishbaal still held power in Gilead (2 Samuel 2). When Ishbaal died, the prophet Gad told David to travel north to meet with all the tribes of Israel. There he was anointed king over all twelve tribes (2 Samuel 5)
So when reading the Bible, it’s important to understand that “years old” refers to something different than it does now. For example, in 2 Samuel 5:4 we read that King David was 30 when he became king of Israel; yet in 1 Chronicles 11:26 we read that King Saul was 40 years old when he became king of Israel. If these two passages are taken literally then David was only 10 years younger than SaulIn this case, the word “twenty” is being used in a different sense. It’s more like saying that someone is twenty years old todayand anointed again by Zadok, the high priest of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). It was after this second anointing that David became king over all of Israel..!
David was most likely 30 when he became king of Israel.
David was most likely 30 when he became king of Israel. He was anointed by Samuel at age 30, and later became king of Judah at age 20. In contrast to Saul, David’s reign as king began and ended with peace, prosperity, and acclaim from his people.
It’s important to note that in the Bible (and even today), different ages were used differently than they are today. For example, if someone said that they were twenty-five years old it would mean that they had been alive for 25 years or older; whereas if someone said they were twenty-five years old today it would mean they were born on some year between 1992 and 2010 inclusive (since there are no leap years).
David’s age is debated because the Bible is unclear as to how many years there were between his reigns.
While the Bible is unclear as to how many years there were between David’s reigns, it is most likely that he was about 30 when he became king of Israel and about 20 when he was anointed king of Judah. The Bible also does not specify how old David was when he died.
While in Hebron, David was anointed king over Judah by Abiathar, but not yet over the rest of Israel. This was because Saul’s son Ishbaal still held power in Gilead (2 Samuel 2). When Ishbaal died, the prophet Gad told David to travel north to meet with all the tribes of Israel. There he was anointed king over all twelve tribes (2 Samuel 5)In the same way, if someone said they were twenty years old it would mean they had been alive for 20 years or older; whereas if someone said they were twenty years old today it would mean they were born in some year between 1995 and 2015 inclusive (since there are no leap years)..
In summary, David became king at the age of 30 years old. He reigned for 30 years and died at age 70.
If someone said that they were twenty-five years old in the Bible, it would mean that they had been alive for 25 years or older. For example, if someone said that they were twenty-five years old it would mean that they were born on some year between 1992 and 2010 inclusive (since there are no leap years). As a result of this difference in how age was used, we shouldn’t be surprised when people who lived thousands of years ago appear to us as being much younger than we are todayThe Bible does not specify how old David was when he died, but he was likely between 60 and 70 years old. It is believed that his death occurred around the year 965 BCE..