In 2 Samuel 15, King David’s son Absalom plots against his own father and steals the kingdom, yet David trusts God even while he is running for his life. Children learn that God is still in charge when bad things happen. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
When people we love make bad choices, we can still trust that God is good and God is in control. We can talk to Him about our hurt and our fear, just like David did.
Memory Verse
2 Samuel 15:25
The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation…
(WEB)
Teach the children to hold both hands out in front of them, palms up, as if they are giving something heavy to God. Then bring their hands slowly to their hearts. Say the words together as they move, and let them do the motion each time you read the verse.
The Story: 2 Samuel 15 for Kids
King David had a son named Absalom. Absalom was handsome and proud, and he wanted to be king instead of his father. Every morning he stood by the city gate, and when people came to ask the king for help, he talked to them kindly. He told them, “I wish I were the judge! I would take care of you.” He hugged people and kissed them, and soon many of the people of Israel liked him more than King David.
After many years, Absalom said to David, “Please let me go to Hebron to worship the LORD.” David said, “Go in peace.” But Absalom had a secret plan. He sent spies all over the land, and they were told to shout, “Absalom is king!” when they heard the trumpet. Two hundred men who did not know the plan went with Absalom. Then a messenger ran to David and said, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom now.”
David was very sad. He said to his servants, “Come, we must run away, or Absalom will hurt us and the city.” David left Jerusalem with his family, his soldiers, and even Ittai, a man from another land. David told Ittai, “You do not have to come with us. Go back home.” But Ittai said, “Wherever my king goes, I will go too, even if it means I might die.” So they all went on together.
David and his people crossed the brook and climbed up the Mount of Olives. They were crying, and David walked barefoot with his head covered. Some of the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, carried God’s special box called the ark back toward the city. David said, “Take the ark back. If God wants me to come home, He will bring me back. And if He does not, I still trust Him.” He wanted the priests to stay in the city and send him news.
David had a friend named Hushai. David asked him to go back to Jerusalem and pretend to serve Absalom. Hushai was to help defeat the bad advice of a man named Ahithophel. So Hushai went into the city, and Absalom came in too. David could not see what would happen next, but he knew God could see it all.
Read It Together
2 Samuel 15:13-14
13 A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.” 14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee; or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
(WEB)
Point out that David heard bad news and did not pretend it was not true. He made a plan to protect the people he loved. Ask the children what they do when they hear scary news.
2 Samuel 15:21
Ittai answered the king, and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there also.”
(WEB)
Show the children that Ittai chose to stay loyal to David even when it was hard. Talk about how a true friend stays close when things are difficult.
2 Samuel 15:31
Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “The LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
(WEB)
Explain that David brought his problem to God in prayer. Remind the children that they can pray about their own worries, even when they feel sad or angry.
Talk About It
- How do you think David felt when his son turned against him?
- What did David do when he was scared, and what can you do when you feel scared?
- Why do you think Ittai decided to go with David even though he was a foreigner?
- What is one thing David said that showed he trusted God?
- Who is someone you can go to when people you love are not treating you kindly?
Activity Ideas
Crown and Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a crown on one side of the paper and a heart on the other side. Talk about how Absalom wanted the crown, but David kept his heart close to God. Let the children write or draw one way they can trust God this week.
Walk the Brook Game
You will need a piece of string or a row of chairs to make a “brook” on the floor. Have the children walk across it slowly and quietly, like David and his people leaving Jerusalem. Each time they cross, say a short prayer such as “God, You are with me.” This helps children move their bodies while they remember that God goes with them through hard times.
Trust Jar Take-Home
You will need an empty jar, a few slips of paper, and a pen. Ask each child to write one worry on a slip of paper and fold it up. Then place it in the jar as a reminder to give that worry to God. Encourage the children to take the jar home and add a new slip whenever they feel afraid, and to open it with a parent to pray together.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that betrayal by someone close can be painful, and that faithfulness to God does not guarantee an easy path. David’s honesty about his grief and his reliance on God in prayer model a mature faith. The chapter also shows that God’s purposes continue even when we cannot see how they will unfold.
With children, avoid overstating that God always makes bad situations end happily right away. Some children have families where a parent has left or hurt them, so be gentle and simply affirm that God is faithful and that they can always talk to Him about their feelings.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, we know that people we love sometimes make wrong choices, and that can make us sad and scared. Help us to remember that You are still good and still in charge. Give us brave hearts like David and Ittai, and help us to trust You with everything. Amen.
