An Age-Based Look at Judah’s Kings The following analysis used the premium version of GPT-4, which has access to Bing’s ChatGPT search functionality. Each king was queried individually to ensure the highest accuracy in the responses. Our examination starts with King Saul, who preceded David. While David is officially recognized as the first ruler of Judah, it’s important to note that Saul was the first to govern all of Israel. After a 7.5-year reign over just Judah, David succeeded Saul and expanded his rule to encompass all of Israel. All ages were verified by me personally. User How old was Saul when he became king? ChatGPT Saul became king at the age of 30, as confirmed by several sources: 1. A snippet from **Bible Hub** references that Saul was 30 years old when he ascended to the throne, and that his reign lasted for 42 years over Israel【205†(Bible Hub)】. 2. Another source, **Bible.ca**, reinforces the information that Saul was 30 years old when he became king, and provides additional context regarding Saul’s son Jonathan, who was old enough to lead a battle against the Philistines at that time【206†(Bible.ca)】. 3. A **Biography** snippet underlines the assumption that Saul became king at the age of 30, around 1020 BCE, based on which he would have been born around 1050 BCE【207†(Biography)】. 4. **Learn Religions** also acknowledges that Saul was 30 years old when he became king and reigned over Israel for a period of 42 years, highlighting a particular event during Saul’s reign where he disobeyed God’s command, which formed a crucial aspect of the conditional covenant between God and Israel【208†(Learn Religions)】. 5. Lastly, a discussion on **eBible** mentions Saul being 30 years old when he became king, with a reign lasting for 42 years over Israel, referring to the scriptural verse 1 Samuel 13:1【209†(eBible)】. These various references together provide a comprehensive understanding of Saul’s age at the time of his ascension to the throne of Israel. User How long did Saul reign? Explain the controversy surrounding how long he reigned. ChatGPT The length of King Saul’s reign has been a topic of debate due to inconsistencies and ambiguities in the biblical text. The main points of contention surround the interpretation of 1 Samuel 13:1 and the reference in Acts 13:21. Here are the key elements of the controversy: 1. **Hebrew Text Interpretation**: – 1 Samuel 13:1 is the primary source of the controversy. In the Hebrew text, it states, “Saul was one year old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel”【217†(Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange)】【218†(The Biblical Timeline)】. – However, this translation is generally regarded as problematic because it implies an improbable scenario where Saul begins his reign at the age of one. – The ambiguity arises from a textual issue where the original Hebrew manuscript might have been damaged or altered during transmission, leading to the present wording in the text【219†(Evidence for Christianity)】. 2. **Alternative Interpretations**: – Some interpretations suggest that the text may have originally stated the age of Saul at the beginning of his reign and the total length of his reign, but these numbers have been lost or altered over time【219†(Evidence for Christianity)】. – Due to this ambiguity, biblical commentators have proposed various lengths for Saul’s reign, with some suggesting a reign of 20 or 22 years based on contextual evidence from other parts of the Bible【220†(Wikipedia)】. 3. **Reference in Acts 13:21**: – In the New Testament, Acts 13:21 mentions that Saul reigned for 40 years. This reference is often used to argue for a longer reign of Saul, contrasting the brief reign suggested by 1 Samuel 13:1【221†(Claude Mariottini)】. 4. **Various Translations**: – Different translations of the Bible have rendered 1 Samuel 13:1 in various ways, attempting to reconcile the apparent inconsistency. Some translations, for instance, omit the age of Saul at his accession, while others try to provide a more plausible length for Saul’s reign【221†(Claude Mariottini)】. This controversy reflects the challenges faced by biblical scholars and translators in interpreting ancient texts, especially when the manuscripts have undergone numerous transmissions over centuries. User How old was David when he became king? ChatGPT David became king at the age of thirty and his reign lasted for forty years, as consistently documented across various sources and biblical references: 1. **World History**: According to this source, David ascended to the throne at the age of thirty and reigned for forty years, with some estimates placing the date of his coronation around 1048 or 1011 BC. David was commissioned by God to be king either 15 or 22 years before his actual coronation【195†(source)】. 2. **GotQuestions**: This source also confirms that David was 30 years old when he became king and reigned for a period of 40 years, eventually passing away at the age of 70 or 71【196†(source)】. 3. **Never Thirsty**: This source cites 2 Samuel 5:4 (NASB) which states, “David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.” It also mentions the estimates regarding the time of David’s coronation around 1048 or 1011 BC【197†(source)】. 4. **Hermeneutics Stack Exchange**: Referring to 2 Samuel 5:4, 5, it’s noted that David was 30 years old when he became king, reigned over Judah in Hebron for 7 years and 6 months, and reigned for 33 years over all Israel and Judah in Jerusalem, totaling a reign of 40 years【198†(source)】. 5. **Bible Hub**: The source provides the biblical reference from 2 Samuel 5:4, stating that David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled for 40 years【199†(source)】. These various references provide a comprehensive understanding of David’s age when he became king and the duration of his reign. User How old was Solomon when he became king? ChatGPT Solomon, the son of King David, ascended to the throne of Israel at a young age, although the exact age is not clearly mentioned in the biblical text. It is often believed that Solomon was around 12 to 20 years old when he became king, based on various interpretations and analyses of the biblical text. His youth at the time of his ascension is often noted in discussions of his reign. The age of 12 is often cited based on traditional Jewish sources, while other interpretations might suggest he was older. Given your expertise in Biblical numbers and chronology, you might have a more precise understanding or interpretation of Solomon’s age based on a thorough analysis of the relevant biblical texts and related historical or chronological information. User How old was Rehoboam, king of Judah, when he became king? ChatGPT Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, became the king of Judah after the death of his father. According to the biblical account in 1 Kings 14:21, Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began his reign. This is corroborated by the account in 2 Chronicles 12:13. User How old was Abijah (son of Rehoboam), king of Judah, when Abijah became king? ChatGPT Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, became the king of Judah following the death of his father. However, the biblical text does not provide a specific age for Abijah at the time he ascended to the throne. Nonetheless, based on the information provided regarding the years of his reign and his birth year, we can make an educated estimate. Abijah’s reign as king of Judah is noted to have occurred around 913-911 BCE or 915-913 BCE【10†(Britannica)】【11†(GotQuestions.org)】. He was born around 950 BCE【20†(Wikipedia)】. Therefore, using the earliest estimated starting year of his reign (915 BCE) and his birth year, we can calculate that Abijah was about 35 years old when he became king (950 BCE – 915 BCE = 35). On the other hand, using the latest estimated starting year of his reign (913 BCE), we can calculate that Abijah was about 37 years old when he became king (950 BCE – 913 BCE = 37). This age range (35-37) is an estimate based on the available data and the exact age may vary based on different interpretations of the historical or biblical timeline. User How old was Asa, king of Judah, when he became king? ChatGPT The biblical text does not provide a specific age for Asa when he began his reign as the king of Judah. However, the timeline of his reign can be inferred from the biblical chronology. Asa’s reign commenced in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty-one years, according to 1 Kings 15:9-10【26†(Bible Gateway)】. He is said to have reigned from around 908 to 867 BCE according to other sources【28†(Britannica)】. Without additional contextual information or a clear statement regarding Asa’s age at the time he became king, it’s challenging to determine his exact age when he ascended to the throne. Nonetheless, a thorough examination of the biblical text and any external historical or archaeological evidence might provide further insights into Asa’s age at the beginning of his reign. User How old was Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, when he became king? ChatGPT Jehoshaphat became king of Judah at the age of thirty-five. This is consistently mentioned across various sources including biblical texts and historical analyses: 1. The biblical account in 1 Kings 22:42 states that “Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years”【37†(Bible Gateway)】. 2. A similar affirmation is found in another biblical resource, corroborating the age of Jehoshaphat at the time he assumed kingship【38†(Biblehub)】. 3. Furthermore, historical timelines also confirm Jehoshaphat’s age as thirty-five when he began his reign over Judah【39†(Amazing Bible Timeline)】. 4. In addition to these, a religious study resource also verifies Jehoshaphat’s age of thirty-five when he became king, succeeding his father, Asa【40†(Learn Religions)】. 5. Lastly, a question-and-answer biblical resource also affirms Jehoshaphat’s age of thirty-five at the commencement of his reign, which lasted twenty-five years from 873 to 848 BC【41†(GotQuestions.org)】. These multiple sources provide a clear and consistent confirmation of Jehoshaphat’s age when he ascended to the throne of Judah. User How old was Jehoram, king of Judah, when he became king? ChatGPT Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, became king of Judah at the age of 32. This information is confirmed in various sources including the biblical text and historical references: 1. According to the biblical account in 2 Kings 8:17, Jehoram was 32 years old when he ascended to the throne of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years【50†(Bible Gateway)】. 2. Another source, Amazing Bible Timeline, also affirms that Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, providing a consistent age across different references【47†(Amazing Bible Timeline)】. 3. GotQuestions.org also provides the same age for Jehoram at the time of his ascension to the throne, reiterating the age of 32 when he began to reign, and mentioning that he reigned for four years with his father and another eight years on his own in Judah【49†(GotQuestions.org)】. 4. Additionally, the EasyEnglish Bible, in its explanation of 2 Kings 8, corroborates Jehoram’s age of 32 when he became king, further emphasizing the consistent information across diverse sources【51†(EasyEnglish Bible)】. These multiple sources provide a clear and consistent confirmation of Jehoram’s age when he ascended to the throne of Judah. User How old was Ahaziah, king of Judah, when he became king? ChatGPT The age of Ahaziah when he became king of Judah is a subject of discussion due to varying accounts in the biblical text. Here’s a breakdown of the information gathered from different sources: 1. **Twenty-Two Years Old**: – According to 2 Kings 8:26, Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king and reigned for one year in Jerusalem【59†(Wikipedia)】. – Another source corroborates this age, mentioning that Ahaziah began his reign over Judah at the age of twenty-two and reigned for one year in Jerusalem, with his reign dated to either 842 BC or 841/840 BC【57†(Ministry Samples)】. – A separate source also affirms the age of 22 when Ahaziah ascended to the throne, adding that he had other siblings but all of his brothers were killed by raiders while they were away from the palace【60†(Amazing … Continue reading At What Age Did Each of the Kings of Judah Begin to Reign?