Free Bible lesson for kids · The Exodus
Water from the Rock
At Rephidim there was no water and the people argued with Moses. God told Moses to strike the rock in Horeb with his rod, and water came out for everyone to drink.
- Bible passage
- Exodus 17:1–7
- Big idea
- We can bring our needs to God instead of complaining.
- Memory verse
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Exodus 17:6 (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
The children of Israel camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink (Exodus 17:1). The people argued with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” They grumbled that he had brought them out of Egypt to die of thirst (Exodus 17:2–3). Moses cried unto the LORD, for the people were almost ready to stone him (Exodus 17:4).
The LORD told Moses to take some of the elders and the rod he had used to strike the river (Exodus 17:5). God said, “I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb,” and He told Moses to strike the rock. Moses obeyed in the sight of the elders, and water came out for the people to drink (Exodus 17:6). Moses named the place Massah and Meribah, because the people had asked, “Is the LORD among us, or not?” (Exodus 17:7).
Read it in the Bible: Exodus 17:1–7 (KJV)
1And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
Questions to ask
What did the people need?
Water to drink.
What did God tell Moses to strike?
The rock in Horeb.
What came out?
Water, for the people to drink.
What this story teaches
- God cares when His people are thirsty and in need (Exodus 17:5–6).
- Complaining against God’s leader is complaining against God (Exodus 17:2).
- We can cry out to the LORD when we are in trouble (Exodus 17:4).
- God can bring water even out of a rock (Exodus 17:6).
- God was with His people, even when they doubted Him (Exodus 17:6–7).
Jesus Is Our Rock
God’s people drank water from the rock in the wilderness. The Bible says “that Rock was Christ,” who went with His people all the way.
1 Corinthians 10:4
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Bring God a need instead of a complaint. |
|---|---|
| 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: “We can bring our needs to God instead of complaining.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Exodus 17:6 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 or out · about 8 minutes
Grumble or Trust?
You need: Four signs for the corners: Grumble, Trust, Pray, Thank
- The leader reads a situation: “Dinner is late and you’re hungry.”
- Kids run to the corner that shows the best response.
- Talk about the answers, then read another. Nobody runs to Grumble for long!
The people argued with Moses, but God gave water from the rock. We can trust God instead of grumbling.
For youth group · activity · outdoors · about 45 minutes
Cold Water Service
You need: Cold water bottles, a cooler, a short note with your youth group’s name
- Hand out free cold water at a park, a ballgame or a busy corner (with permission).
- Don’t take money. If someone asks why, tell them.
- Talk afterward about Matthew 10:42.
God gave His thirsty people water from a rock. A cup of cold water given in Jesus’ name is never forgotten.
Pray
Bring God a need instead of a complaint.