This lesson teaches children that Samson was strong because God helped him, and that when he forgot to trust God and told his secret, he lost his strength. It is suited to children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God gives us strength, and we stay strong when we keep trusting Him and do not let anything else take His place in our hearts.
Memory Verse
Judges 16:28
Samson called to the LORD, and said, “Lord the LORD, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”
(WEB)
Have the children stand tall, lift both arms up over their heads, and then bring them down slowly as they say “Lord, remember me, please, and strengthen me.” Doing the motion together helps the words stick.
The Story: Judges 16 for Kids
Samson was a strong man whom God had chosen to help the people of Israel. One day he went to the city of Gaza, and the people there heard that he had arrived. They made a plan to catch him in the morning, but Samson got up at midnight, picked up the heavy gates of the city, and carried them all the way up a mountain. The people could not stop him.
Later, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah. The leaders of the Philistines, who were enemies of Israel, came to her with a plan. They offered her a lot of money if she could find out where Samson’s great strength came from. Delilah asked him again and again, and each time Samson gave her a false answer, and each time the Philistines tried to tie him up, and each time he broke free.
Delilah kept pushing him day after day until Samson was very tired of her questions. Finally he told her the truth. He said that God had made him a special helper from the time he was born, and that his hair had never been cut. If it were cut, his strength would leave him.
While Samson slept, Delilah had his hair cut off. When he woke up, he did not know that the Lord had left him. The Philistines captured him, put out his eyes, and made him work grinding grain in a prison. But his hair began to grow again.
One day the Philistines held a big party to thank their false god for giving them Samson. They brought him out to make fun of him, and he stood between two big pillars that held up the building. Samson prayed, “Lord, please remember me and make me strong one more time.” God answered him, and Samson pushed the pillars until the house fell down, and he died along with the enemies of Israel.
Read It Together
Judges 16:20
She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that the LORD had departed from him.
(WEB)
Point out that Samson did not realize God had left him. Explain that he had been trusting in his hair instead of in God, and that when we stop trusting God, we can get into trouble even if we think we are fine.
Judges 16:22
However the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaved.
(WEB)
Show the children that even after Samson made a big mistake, his hair began to grow back. Tell them this shows that God is patient and can give us another chance when we turn back to Him.
Judges 16:30
Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were therein. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.
(WEB)
Explain that in this moment Samson trusted God one last time and asked for help. Remind the children that God hears us when we pray honestly, even after we have made mistakes.
Talk About It
- What did Samson do that made him strong, and where did that strength come from?
- Why do you think Delilah kept asking Samson the same question again and again?
- What are some things people might be tempted to trust in instead of God?
- How do you think Samson felt when he realized God had left him?
- What is one way you can ask God for strength when you feel weak or afraid?
Activity Ideas
Strength Pillar Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw two tall pillars and a building on top. Inside the building, have them draw one small thing that reminds them God gives strength, such as a heart or a cross. Let them talk about their drawing with you as they finish.
Pillar Push Game
Gather a few cushions or empty boxes to act as pillars. Have the children stand near the pillars and take turns pushing gently against them while saying “God, give me strength.” Explain that the pillars stand strong only because God holds them up, just as we are strong because of Him. Keep the movements safe and slow.
Strength Card for Home
You will need an index card, a marker, and a sticker or piece of tape. Have each child write “God gives me strength” on the card and decorate it. Ask them to tape it somewhere they will see it each morning, such as on a bedroom mirror or by the front door, as a reminder to trust God each day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, the story of Samson is a warning about the danger of trusting in things that cannot save us and of ignoring God while still expecting His help. It also shows that God’s mercy is greater than our failures, since Samson prayed at the end and God answered him. The chapter does not present Samson as a model to copy in his choices, but as a man whose story shows both God’s faithfulness and human weakness.
When teaching children, avoid making the story sound like a rule that says you lose God’s favor every time you make a mistake. Be careful not to suggest that Samson’s hair was itself the source of his power, since the text makes clear that his strength came from God. Keep the focus on trusting God rather than on the hair or the secret.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for giving us strength when we feel weak. Help us to trust You every day and not to put our hope in things that cannot help us. When we make mistakes, help us to turn back to You, just as Samson did at the end. Amen.
