This lesson teaches children that God’s presence is holy and should be honored with care, respect and joy. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the verses and one activity.
Big Idea
God is holy, so we treat Him with respect. We also celebrate Him with joy, because He is with His people.
Memory Verse
2 Samuel 6:14
David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.
(WEB)
Stand up tall, then slowly lift both arms over your head and sway them side to side, like King David dancing. Say the words out loud as you sway, and let your arms go as high as they can go.
The Story: 2 Samuel 6 for Kids
King David wanted to bring God’s special box back to the city of Jerusalem. This box was called the ark, and it was a reminder that God was with His people. David gathered thirty thousand of the best men in Israel to go with him. Everyone was excited to make the trip.
The men put the ark on a brand-new cart and pulled it along the road. Uzzah and Ahio walked beside the cart. People played harps, drums and cymbals all the way down the road. It was a happy parade, and everyone was singing and making music for the LORD.
When the cart reached a threshing floor, the oxen stumbled. The ark began to tip, and Uzzah reached out and grabbed it to keep it steady. God was very displeased that Uzzah had touched the holy ark, and Uzzah died right there. Everyone was shocked and frightened by what had happened.
David was sad and afraid. He asked, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” So David did not take the ark into his city. Instead, he left it at the house of a man named Obed-Edom, and the LORD blessed that family for three months.
Later, David heard that God was blessing Obed-Edom’s house. This made David happy again. He decided to bring the ark to Jerusalem, but this time he followed God’s rules and was careful to honor Him.
This time, the men carried the ark carefully, and they stopped to offer sacrifices along the way. David danced with all his might before the LORD. The people shouted and blew trumpets, and the ark was set in its place inside a tent. David then blessed the people and gave everyone bread, dates and raisins.
Read It Together
2 Samuel 6:2
David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there God’s ark, which is called by the Name, even the name of the LORD of Armies who sits above the cherubim.
(WEB)
Point out that this verse tells us the ark is God’s ark and belongs to the LORD of Armies, who sits above the cherubim. Ask the children what it means that God is so powerful and yet close to His people.
2 Samuel 6:11
The LORD’s ark remained in Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.
(WEB)
Show the children that the LORD blessed the house of Obed-Edom while the ark stayed there. Explain that God’s blessing came to the people who welcomed His presence with care.
2 Samuel 6:21-22
21 David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 I will be yet more vile than this, and will be worthless in my own sight. But of the servants of whom you have spoken, they will honor me.”
(WEB)
Point out that David said he would celebrate before the LORD, even when others laughed at him. Explain that David cared more about pleasing God than about what people thought of him.
Talk About It
- What do you think it felt like for David to see Uzzah die, and why was David so afraid?
- Why did God want the ark to be carried in the way He had told the people?
- How can we show respect for God when we pray, sing or come to church?
- What made David so happy as he danced before the LORD?
- When someone laughed at David for dancing, how did he answer, and what does that teach us?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Ark Parade
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a picture of the ark on its cart, with people playing instruments and dancing around it. Let them add their own colors and decorations. Hang the drawings on the wall where everyone can see them.
Dance Like David
You will need some music you can play from a phone or speaker, and an open space to move. Play the music and let the children dance and clap, just as David did before the LORD. Stop the music from time to time and ask everyone to freeze and say, “God is holy and good.”
Take-Home Ark Box
You will need a small shoebox or tissue box, paper, tape and a marker. Help each child decorate the box, then write “God is with us” on the lid. Tell them to keep the box at home as a reminder to honor God every day.
Teacher Notes
This passage shows that God is holy and must be approached with reverence, not carelessness. David first failed to honor God’s commands, and the result was tragic. When he corrected course and followed God’s instructions, the ark came to Jerusalem with joy, sacrifice and worship. For adults, the lesson is that God’s presence is both a source of blessing and a call to take Him seriously.
Be careful not to suggest to children that God punishes every small mistake in the same way. The story is a serious account of a particular event, and it should be told with care and without frightening young listeners. Focus on God’s holiness, His blessing, and David’s joyful worship.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, we thank You that You are holy and that You are always with us. Help us to honor You with our words, our hearts and our actions. Teach us to worship You with joy, just as David did. Thank You for loving us. Amen.
