This lesson teaches children that God keeps his promises and that keeping our own promises matters, even when it is hard. It works well for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God keeps every promise he makes, and we should keep our promises too. Even when a promise is hard to keep, we can trust that God is faithful.
Memory Verse
2 Samuel 21:1
There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, “It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
(WEB)
Ask the children to put both hands on their hearts, then slowly lift them up and open them like a book as they say the verse together. Repeat it three times, getting a little softer each time until everyone is whispering.
The Story: 2 Samuel 21 for Kids
A long time ago, there was a terrible famine in the land of Israel. For three years the crops did not grow, and people did not have enough food. King David was worried, so he asked God what was wrong.
God told David that the trouble was because King Saul had hurt the Gibeonites. Long before, the people of Israel had made a promise to the Gibeonites to keep them safe, but Saul broke that promise and tried to destroy them. God wanted that wrong made right.
David called the Gibeonites to talk with him. He asked them, “What can I do to make things right with you?” The Gibeonites did not want money. They said, “Give us seven men from Saul’s family, and we will deal with them.” David agreed to help them.
David kept his promise to Jonathan, Saul’s son, so he spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. But he gave up two of Saul’s sons and five of Saul’s grandsons to the Gibeonites. Their lives were sad and very hard to think about, and God then answered prayer and the rain came back to the land.
Rizpah, one of Saul’s sons’ mothers, stayed close to the bodies. She spread out rough cloth on the rock and watched over them for many weeks, keeping away the birds and wild animals. David heard what she was doing and was moved by her faithful love.
After that, David gathered the bones of Saul and Jonathan and buried them in the family tomb, and he did the right thing for everyone who had died. Later, when the Philistines fought Israel again, God helped David and his brave men win every battle.
Read It Together
2 Samuel 21:7
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
(WEB)
Explain that David kept his promise to Jonathan even after Jonathan was gone. Help children see that a promise made to a friend still matters, and that keeping our word is part of loving others well.
2 Samuel 21:14
They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
(WEB)
Point out that after David did what God asked, God answered prayer for the land. Remind children that obeying God brings peace, even when the steps are difficult.
Talk About It
- Why do you think the people of Israel were so sad during the three years without enough food?
- What do you think it means to keep a promise, even when it is hard?
- How did David show that he cared about Jonathan, even after Jonathan died?
- What did Rizpah do to show her love and faithfulness, and how can we show love when things are sad?
- When someone asks us to keep our word, what can we remember about God’s faithfulness?
Activity Ideas
Promise Hearts Craft
You will need paper, crayons or markers, scissors, and glue. Have each child draw a large heart and write one promise they want to keep this week on it, such as helping at home or being kind to a sibling. Let them decorate the heart, then hang it up as a reminder that God keeps his promises and we can keep ours too.
Keep Your Word Game
You will need a open floor space and a few soft balls or rolled-up socks. Ask children to stand in a circle and toss the ball to each other while saying a promise, such as “I will be patient.” If someone drops the ball, they say a promise to try again. This helps children practice keeping their word in a playful way.
Promise Card Take-Home
You will need index cards, a pencil, and a small envelope for each child. Have children write the memory verse on one side and draw a picture of something they promised to do on the other. Encourage them to place the card in the envelope and put it somewhere they will see each day, like on the fridge or beside their bed.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God keeps his promises even when people have failed them. David’s family paid a heavy price for Saul’s broken promise, yet the chapter ends with God answering prayer and bringing peace to the land. It reminds us that God is faithful and that our choices matter.
Avoid suggesting to children that God wants people to be harmed or that the Gibeonites’ request was a model for justice today. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and on David’s care for his promise to Jonathan, and be gentle about the sad details of the story.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank you that you always keep your promises to us. Help us to keep our word too, even when it is hard. Help us to trust you when things feel sad or scary. We love you and want to follow you. Amen.
