This lesson teaches children that God gives courage and loyalty to people who love him, and that David’s brave friends risked everything because they cared about him. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God is faithful, and he helps his people to be brave and loyal to him and to each other. Good friends stand together, even when the job is hard.
Memory Verse
2 Samuel 23:5
Isn’t my house so with God? Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn’t make it grow.
(WEB)
Teach children to place both hands over their heart and then lift them up together, like giving a gift to God. Say the words slowly as you lift, so the motion helps them remember that God keeps his promises.
The Story: 2 Samuel 23 for Kids
King David was getting older, and he wanted to tell everyone what he had learned about God. He said that God had spoken through him and that God’s words were always true. David remembered how God had made a promise to him, a promise that would last forever. David trusted that promise more than anything else in his life.
David had a group of brave soldiers who fought beside him. They were called the mighty men. One of them, Eleazar, fought the Philistine enemies so hard that his hand got stuck to his sword. God gave the Israelites a great victory that day, and the people came back only to pick up what the enemies had left behind.
Then there was a day when David was hiding in a cave, and the enemy soldiers were camped nearby. David felt thirsty and said, “Oh, how I wish someone would bring me water from the well in Bethlehem, the town where I grew up!” Three of his mighty men heard him. They ran right through the enemy army, filled a jar with water, and brought it back to David.
David was so moved that he could not drink it. He said, “This water is like their blood, because they risked their lives for me. I will not drink it.” Instead, he poured it out as an offering to God. David showed that he valued his friends’ courage more than the water itself.
The chapter goes on to name many other brave men who served David. Some of them fought lions, some fought giants, and some stood their ground when everyone else ran away. Each one was loyal to the king and to God. The list ends with a man named Uriah the Hittite, and there were thirty-seven men in all.
Read It Together
2 Samuel 23:3-4
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, 4 shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’
(WEB)
Point out that David says God’s words come from a ruler who rules fairly and kindly. Ask children what it feels like when someone is fair to them, and connect that to how God treats his people.
2 Samuel 23:9-10
9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away. 10 He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and the LORD worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder.
(WEB)
Show children how Eleazar kept fighting even when he was tired. Explain that God helped him win the battle, so when we keep trying, God can help us too.
2 Samuel 23:16-17
16 The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD. 17 He said, “Be it far from me, the LORD, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.
(WEB)
Point to the moment David poured the water out for God. Explain that David thought the brave act of his friends was too precious to enjoy for himself, and he gave it back to God as thanks.
Talk About It
- What do you think David’s three mighty men felt when they heard David say he was thirsty?
- Why do you think David chose to pour out the water instead of drinking it?
- Who is a friend who has stood up for you or helped you be brave?
- How can you show loyalty to God and to the people around you this week?
- What is one promise from God that makes you feel safe?
Activity Ideas
Mighty Men Shield Craft
You will need paper plates, markers, glue, and craft sticks. Have each child draw a picture of a brave friend or a time they were brave on the plate, then glue a craft stick to the back so it becomes a shield. Talk about how the shield reminds us that God protects us and that we protect our friends.
Water Carry Relay
You will need two cups, a bowl of water, and a open space in the room. Divide children into teams and have them carry a cup of water across the room to a bucket without spilling. Afterward, explain that the three men carried water through danger, and ask how teamwork helped them succeed.
Brave Friend Card to Take Home
You will need index cards, crayons, and stickers. Ask each child to write or draw one way they can be a loyal friend this week, then decorate the card. Encourage them to give the card to someone at home or school, and ask them to share at next week’s class how it went.
Teacher Notes
This chapter shows that God’s people are known by loyalty and courage, not by their size or fame. David’s trust in God’s everlasting covenant gave him confidence, and the honor he gave his friends reflected a heart that valued their sacrifice. Adults can see in this passage a picture of how God’s faithfulness holds steady even when human leaders and soldiers struggle.
Avoid suggesting that God rewards brave behavior with guaranteed victories or that courage always means winning. Children may think that if they try hard enough, nothing bad will happen to them. Instead, emphasize that God stays faithful and gives strength in every situation, whether or not the outcome looks like a victory.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you for being faithful to us every day. Help us to be brave like David’s friends and loyal to you and to each other. Give us courage when things feel hard, and remind us that you are always with us. Amen.
