He disobeyed God by failing to completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, as God had commanded. 6 So Saul died with his three sons. He began to reign shortly before 1000 B.C. Under the assumption that he became king at the age of 30 circa 1020 BCE, he would have been born circa 1050 BCE. Saul was XXX years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for XXX-two years. And how many years did he reign? Saul looked like royalty: tall, handsome, noble. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. At what age we know not; but long ago he spoke of himself as "old and grayheaded" (1 Samuel 12:2). He died - 1. King Saul's Fatal Mistake . A few late Septuagint manuscripts have thirty for the first figure, but it is missing from the Hebrew. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. It has been popularly assumed that Saul's name was changed when he became a follower of Jesus Christ, but that is not the case. His Jewish name was "Saul" (Hebrew: שאול ‎, Modern: Sha'ûl, Tiberian: Šāʼûl), perhaps after the biblical King Saul, a fellow Benjamite and the first king of Israel.According to the Book of Acts, he was a Roman citizen. And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. God had told Samuel to give Saul specific instructions that he was expected to obey to the letter. But the one who carried his battle-clothes would not do it. Saul was the first king of Israel. He defeated the Philistines who were subjecting the Israelites right before his reign (1 Samuel 14:47). And David arose…. If you pick up the Jewish Publication Society translation, you will read: “Saul was … years old when he became king; and when he had reigned two years over Israel” (1 Samuel 13:1). For he was very afraid. If Prophet Samuel was still alive when King David was old then most likely Prophet Samuel was around 110 years old if he died in 1020 BC. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. Saul was XXX years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for XXX-two years. ... and Samuel at least 50 years old. Names. He lived to anoint David as well, but died before the battle of Gilboa. But how old was he when he became king? All those of his house died together. Saul's exact date of birth is unknown. 5 When the one who carried his battle-clothes saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword and died also. In a good old age. And.after his death he prophesied, and showed the king his end" (Ecclesiastes 46:13-20). Early in his career, Saul made a fatal mistake. He became king when he was 30 years old and reigned over Israel for 42 years. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. WEB: Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And.before his long sleep he made protestations in the sight of the Lord, etc. Many modern translations insert forty for the second figure, following Acts 13:21. Saul ruled well for many years but ran into problems when he went to war against the Amalekites. Once Saul had become king, he began to win a string of military victories. Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. Early Life.