You are hereHomeBible ReviewJune 1989Saul & DavidHow Old Was Saul When He Began to Reign? The idiom ben shanah literally means “son of a year” Since an age older than one would be expressed as “son of X year” (using the singular), a strong case can be made that a number may have been omitted accidentally by a careless scribe. Join the BAS Library! Already a library member? Log in here. Institution user? Log in with your IP address.