Free Bible lesson for kids · The Kings
David Spares Saul
Jealous King Saul took three thousand men to hunt David upon the rocks of the wild goats. Saul went into the very cave where David and his men were hiding, and David’s men told him to harm the king, but David only cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe, and even that troubled his heart. He would not lift his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and when he called after Saul and bowed before him, Saul wept and said, “Thou art more righteous than I.”
- Bible passage
- 1 Samuel 24:1–22
- Big idea
- God helps us to return good for evil.
- Memory verse
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
King Saul took three thousand chosen men to hunt for David among the rocks of the wild goats (1 Samuel 24:2). Saul went into a cave where David and his men were hiding (1 Samuel 24:3). David’s men said this was his chance, but David only cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe quietly, and even that troubled his heart (1 Samuel 24:4–5). He would not harm “the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6).
When Saul left the cave, David called after him, “My lord the king,” and bowed with his face to the earth (1 Samuel 24:8). He showed Saul the piece of his robe to prove he had not killed him and had done no wrong (1 Samuel 24:11). Saul wept and said, “Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil” (1 Samuel 24:16–17).
Read it in the Bible: 1 Samuel 24:1–22 (KJV)
1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed. 11Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 12The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. 16And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 20And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 21Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 22And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
Questions to ask
Where was David hiding when Saul came in?
In the sides of a cave in the wilderness of En-gedi (1 Samuel 24:1–3).
What did David cut off?
The skirt of Saul’s robe, quietly, without Saul knowing (1 Samuel 24:4).
Why would David not harm Saul?
Because Saul was the LORD’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:6).
What this story teaches
- God wants us to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
- We should respect the leaders God has placed over us (1 Samuel 24:6).
- We can trust God to judge what is right (1 Samuel 24:12, 15).
- A tender heart feels sorry even for small wrongs (1 Samuel 24:5).
- Kindness to enemies can soften hard hearts (1 Samuel 24:16–17).
Jesus Loved His Enemies
David spared the king who wanted to hurt him. On the cross, Jesus prayed for those who hurt Him: “Father, forgive them.”
Luke 23:33–34
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us be kind to people who are unkind to us. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God helps us to return good for evil.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Romans 12:21 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Snip the Robe
You need: A ribbon tied loosely to a sleeping leader’s sleeve, a blanket “cave”
- A leader is King Saul, asleep in the “cave”.
- One at a time, kids sneak in and try to untie the ribbon without waking him.
- If Saul wakes and points at you, go back. Whoever gets the ribbon shouts, “I could have, but I didn’t!”
David could have hurt Saul, but he chose mercy. He would not stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s anointed.
For youth group · game · indoors · about 30 minutes
Clothespin Sneak
You need: Three clothespins for each person
- Everyone clips three clothespins on their clothes at the start of youth group.
- All night, try to clip yours onto other people without them noticing.
- At the end, the person with the fewest wins. Talk: David had the chance to get even, and chose mercy.
Getting even is easy. Mercy is God’s way.
Pray
Ask God to help us be kind to people who are unkind to us.